Methodology

This page explains exactly how CostTrek produces every number you see — the cost-of-living index, salary equivalence, taxes and quality-of-life scores — and, just as importantly, where each figure comes from and how confident you should be in it. We would rather be transparent than pretend our estimates are official statistics.

The cost-of-living index

Our headline number is an index where the average US city is set to 100. A city at 60 is roughly 40% cheaper than a typical US city; a city at 150 is about 50% more expensive. The index blends six everyday categories — housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare and goods & services — each scored on the same US = 100 scale, then combined into the overall figure.

Salary equivalence

On any comparison page you can enter a salary and see the equivalent you would need in the other city to keep the same standard of living. It is a straight ratio of the two cost indices — if City B's index is 20% higher than City A's, you would need about 20% more there. It is a purchasing-power guide, not a salary survey or a job offer.

Where each figure comes from

We combine authoritative open data where it exists with calibrated estimates where no free, worldwide, per-city source does. We label which is which rather than blur the line:

• Economy — real. GDP per capita, life expectancy and inflation come from World Bank Open Data.
• US overall cost index — real. Anchored to BEA Regional Price Parities (all items, US = 100, 2023 — the last year BEA published metro RPPs).
• US metro rents — real. Median gross rent from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS (2023).
• Taxes & visas — compiled. Headline income-tax, VAT and visa summaries from national tax authorities and public sources. Headline rates only — not your effective rate.
• International city indices, 1-bedroom rents, category breakdowns and quality-of-life scores — estimates. These are calibrated approximations for general guidance, refined over time. No free, licensable, worldwide per-city cost feed exists, so we model these rather than leave the map empty.

Currency conversion

City figures are stored in US dollars. The “in your currency” widget converts them with static reference rates (last set 2026-09), so amounts are approximate and meant for orientation, not for booking or budgeting to the cent.

How often it updates

The site is rebuilt on every change, so structural updates go live immediately. The underlying datasets are refreshed periodically as new official releases (World Bank, BEA, Census) come out and as we improve estimates — the “last updated” date on each page reflects the latest build.

Limitations & honesty

Costs vary by neighbourhood, lifestyle and timing, and our estimated figures can be off for any single city. Treat everything here as a starting point for comparison, not a precise budget. Nothing on CostTrek is financial, tax, legal or immigration advice — verify anything important with an official source or a qualified professional before you act on it.

Corrections

Spotted a figure that looks wrong? We genuinely want to know — email info@costtrek.comand we'll review it. More about the project on our About page.