CostByState

Compare Cost of Living Between States

Pick any two states to compare taxes, housing, income, and everyday costs side by side — and see what salary you'd need in one state to match your lifestyle in the other.

State income tax1.0%–13.3%None
Median home price$775,550$302,550
Median household income$100,149$79,721
Monthly cost of living$4,097$3,591
Electricity (¢/kWh)35.2516.99

Salary equivalence

A$salary in California as a

buys the same lifestyle as $79,611 in Texas

Texas costs 87.6% of California's cost of living; figure accounts for both states' income taxes. An estimate, not financial advice.

Popular state comparisons

How salary equivalence works

A dollar goes further in some states than others. The salary-equivalence figure answers a practical question: to keep the same standard of living after a move, what would you need to earn? We take your after-tax income in the first state, adjust it for the cost-of-living difference between the two states, and then work out the gross salary in the second state that leaves you with the same purchasing power — accounting for each state's income tax.