VELOCITY SEARCH GROUP
VELOCITY SEARCH GROUP
A bigger salary in a pricier city can spend like less. Enter your numbers and cities, and this tool shows the purchasing-power comparison, the break-even salary, and the questions to ask before you sign.
Enter what you make now and where, plus the offer and where it's based. We translate the offer into what it would spend like in your current city, and show the salary you'd need in the target city just to break even.
How to read this: the cost-of-living figures are an approximate composite index (national average = 100), for guidance only — not precise market data and not a salary quote. The tool only rescales the salaries you entered. Verify real numbers with the BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OES) and BLS regional resources, plus your own housing and tax research for the target metro.
The math is only half of it. Twelve things I make candidates work through before they say yes to a move — the questions that separate a good move from an expensive one.
Lump sum vs. managed move, what's covered (movers, travel, temp housing, home-sale help), and whether it's grossed up for taxes. “We'll help” is not a number.
Compare your actual rent or mortgage to comparable housing in the target metro — not the average. A 20% housing jump can erase a 15% raise.
State income tax, property tax, and sales tax differ enormously. A move from a no-income-tax state can quietly cost several points of your take-home.
If a partner works, what's their market in the new city? A trailing-spouse job gap can outweigh the raise. Ask about spousal job-search support.
Professional Engineer licensure, certifications, and trade licenses don't always transfer cleanly across states. Know the reciprocity path and timeline before you commit.
Lease-break penalties, selling costs (6–8% all-in), or carrying two places during the transition. Ask whether the employer covers any of it.
If you have kids, mid-year moves are hard. Check district quality, enrollment timing, and whether a start date can flex to a break.
A shorter commute or a longer one changes quality of life more than most raises. Map where you'd actually live relative to the office.
Many relo packages must be repaid if you leave within 12–24 months. Know the cliff before you accept — it affects how locked-in you are.
Plan networks, premiums, and local childcare rates vary widely by metro. These are recurring costs that a one-time relo check won't offset.
Family, friends, and childcare help have real economic value. Losing them can mean paying for what you used to get free.
Growth path, manager, and team stability matter more than the metro. Don't relocate for a title into a situation you haven't vetted.
See what's actually out there before you decide. Our job board carries partner openings all across the US, in every industry we serve — updated live from our national recruiting network.
Browse Jobs Across The US →Run the numbers above, then pressure-test the move with these — genuinely free, vetted by a recruiter who relocates candidates for a living. More on our Free Resources page.
Hand-picked from our Prep Tool Kit — outside tools we trust, each with an honest note on who it's for. Some links support VSG at no cost to you.