Know before you go.
Compare cost of living between any two US cities with real dollars.
How It Works
Three steps to smarter relocation decisions
1. Search Cities
Enter your current city and where you're considering moving. We cover 24,000+ US cities and towns with real cost-of-living data from federal sources.
2. Compare Data
See side-by-side breakdowns of housing, groceries, transportation, healthcare, utilities, and taxes. All numbers are real dollar amounts based on your salary, not vague percentages.
3. Make Informed Decisions
Know exactly how much you'll save (or spend extra) each month before you move. Factor in state income taxes, housing costs, and everyday expenses to plan your budget with confidence.
What Data We Cover
Comprehensive metrics from trusted government and institutional sources
Cost of Living
Composite index from the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey covering six categories: housing, transportation, groceries, healthcare, utilities, and miscellaneous expenses.
Home Prices
Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) for 3,000+ counties with historical trends from 2015 to 2025. Includes year-over-year appreciation rates and median sale prices.
School Districts
NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) data on school district spending per pupil, student-teacher ratios, and enrollment figures for every US county.
Crime & Safety
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) data with violent and property crime rates per 100K residents. County-level data covers 3,100+ jurisdictions across the US.
Property Tax
Census Bureau and state revenue data on effective property tax rates by county. See what you'll actually pay in taxes relative to your home's assessed value.
Walkability
Walk scores and stress-aware walkability metrics for 97 major cities. Our scoring factors in traffic speed, road conditions, and pedestrian safety beyond simple proximity.
Climate
NOAA climate data including average temperatures, precipitation, sunny days, and FEMA natural disaster risk ratings. Know what weather to expect before you relocate.
Migration
IRS county-to-county migration data showing where Americans are actually moving. Track net migration flows, population changes, and relocation trends across all 50 states.
Featured Articles
Data-driven guides to help you pick the right city
What Salary Do You Need to Buy a Home in Every US County?
Interactive map reveals the exact salary needed to buy a home in all 3,142 US counties using current mortgage rates and the 28% income rule.
Where Americans Are Actually Moving in 2026
IRS county-to-county migration data reveals where Americans are really moving. Florida and Texas lead gains while California and New York see outflows.
The Most Walkable Cities in America
Seattle leads with a 50 walkability score, but traditional walk scores miss the full picture. Our stress-aware scoring considers traffic, road conditions, and safety.
About Our Data
Every number on MoveNumbers comes from real government and institutional data sources. We aggregate data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), FBI Uniform Crime Reports, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Zillow Research, FEMA, and NOAA. Our cost-of-living calculations use the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey with six weighted spending categories to produce accurate, transparent results. No AI-generated estimates, no proprietary black-box scores. Just real data you can verify.
Popular Comparisons
See what others are exploring
Biggest Savings
Top moves for maximum monthly savings
Did You Know?
Real Data You Can Trust
Real Dollar Amounts
See exactly how much you'll spend in each category, not just percentages or indices.
Government Data Sources
Built on trusted data from BLS, HUD, and Census Bureau. No made-up numbers.
Instant Results
No sign-ups, no waiting, no personal data collected. Just search and compare.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about comparing cost of living
How does MoveNumbers calculate cost of living?
What salary do I need to maintain my lifestyle in a new city?
Where does the data come from?
How many cities can I compare?
Does cost of living include taxes?
How often is the data updated?
Compare Any Two Cities
Get your personalized cost comparison in seconds