Cost of Living Calculator

ERI considers out-of-pocket cost and carrier zone rates by location, as well as various other factors, when reporting health care cost data.

ERI calculates transportation costs based on local data and considers a variety of factors, such as fuel costs, public transportation costs, and efficiency patterns of public transportation. Then that data is compared to the transportation price level index. ERI factors in transportation differences between major cities by also researching parking costs to ensure the most accurate transportation cost data available.

ERI models the estimated impact of combined employee income taxes, including federal, state/provincial taxes (specific city or county, if existent), along with federal and local payroll taxes (e.g., FICA, FUTA, etc.), flat taxes, surtaxes, employee-paid disability, and employee-paid unemployment rates. While the cost of living calculator accounts for a single earner, ERI's Relocation Assessor provides effective income tax estimates affected by marital status, deductions, and tax credits.

Consumables are calculated from a market basket of goods and services that a typical management or professional household would purchase and consume. The percentage of income spent on consumables varies by income level, family size, and average expenditure patterns. For example, when researching consumables information, we consider the cost of meat, dairy products, grocery products, average restaurant costs, entertainment, clothing, etc. ERI pulls this information to help predict average costs of consumable goods and provide the most accurate cost of living information.

For more information on how we calculate cost of living, or to compare cost of living between different areas, such as by city, ZIP code, state, or country, see our cost of living comparison page.