Worked example result
With the overall index, $120,000 in New York City maps to about $100,800 for London. The ratio is 0.84, so the destination benchmark is -16% versus the origin salary before tax.
Software engineer relocation
New York City to London on $120,000
A New York-based software engineer comparing a London transfer offer can use this as a first-pass lifestyle checkpoint before checking local rent, tax, and visa costs.
1 · City cost-of-living comparison
2 · Simplified take-home pay
Rent-heavy checkpoint
If rent is the deciding line item, the same salary maps to about $94,320 under the rent-weighted view. That mode blends 60% rent with 40% overall costs, so treat it as a housing-sensitive sanity check rather than a full budget.
| Input | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Origin salary | New York City gross salary entered in the calculator | $120,000 |
| Index ratio | London index divided by New York City index | x0.84 |
| Equivalent benchmark | $120,000 multiplied by the index ratio | $100,800 |
New York City vs London at a glance
On our New York = 100 baseline, New York City sits at an overall index of 100 and London at 84. That makes London indicatively -16% cheaper overall. Rent is often the biggest swing: New York City's rent index is 100 versus London's 75. These are rough averages — check listings for the specific area you are considering.
What to check next
- The output is pre-tax and currency-neutral, so compare real offers only after checking UK tax and a live FX rate.
- Central London rent can swing the result; rerun the calculator with rent-weighted mode if housing is the deciding cost.
FAQ
Is a $120k New York salary enough for a London move?
Using the overall index, $120,000 in New York City maps to about $100,800 for London. This is a pre-tax, currency-neutral lifestyle checkpoint, not a job-market salary quote.
Is this a currency conversion?
No. The worked example scales the salary by the cost-index ratio (0.84) and keeps the result in USD. Use a live FX rate only after you have a real offer in GBP.
What should I verify before relying on it?
Check current rents in the neighbourhoods you would actually live in, run both countries through official tax tools, and add one-off moving costs. The index snapshot is tagged as of 2026-06.
Indicative estimate only — not financial or tax advice. Cost indices as of 2026-06; simplified tax bands as of 2026-06. Indicative cost-of-living indices only. These are rough, city-wide averages on a New York = 100 baseline, rounded for planning. They are NOT a personal relocation budget and ignore neighbourhood, lifestyle, exchange-rate moves, and tax. Verify current local prices before relocating. Worked examples use the same indicative cost-of-living index snapshot as the main calculator. Salaries are quoted in the origin city's currency and scaled by the city index ratio; they are not FX conversions, job-market salary surveys, or tax advice.