CostTrek: Cost of Living Compared
Compare the cost of living across 87 cities and see the salary you'd need after a move. Plus a city finder that ranks places by what matters to you.
What it is
CostTrek is a cost-of-living site for people weighing a move. Pick two cities, type in your salary, and it tells you what you'd need to earn in the other one to live equally well. Below that sits a long side-by-side table: rent in and outside the centre, a cheap meal, a transit pass, tax rates, average salaries, internet speed, safety, climate, even whether there's a digital-nomad visa. Right now it covers 87 cities in 34 countries, with 14 rankings.
The site runs in English, German, French, Spanish and Portuguese. This is one of our own projects.
Why we picked it
It's upfront about where the numbers come from. The methodology page splits data into what's official (World Bank, Eurostat, OECD, and for the US the BEA price parities and Census rents) and what's CostTrek's own calibrated estimate. Official figures carry a check mark in comparison tables; estimates don't. City indices and rents outside the US are estimates, and the site says so plainly, along with a reminder that none of it is financial or immigration advice.
The other hook is the city finder. Set how much you care about cost, safety, healthcare, climate, walkability, transit, internet and English, add a region or a rent cap, and the ranking reshuffles instantly. You can copy a link to your exact results.
Where to start
- Compare your current city with the one you keep daydreaming about, and enter your salary.
- Open Find your city and try the Digital nomad, Family or Retiree presets.
- Browse the rankings: cheapest, safest, best for nomads, most walkable.
- Check the calculators for take-home pay by country and a monthly budget for a chosen city.
- Skim the methodology so you know which numbers to lean on.
Who it's for
Remote workers, would-be expats, and anyone curious how Lisbon stacks up against Berlin. It's a starting point for comparison rather than a to-the-cent budget, and it presents itself that way.
Quick answers
Is it free? Yes. Comparisons, rankings and the finder all work without an account.
How accurate are the figures? Official statistics are marked with a check; international city prices and rents are estimates.
Can I change the currency? Yes, comparison pages include a widget that converts city figures into a dozen currencies at approximate reference rates.
