Relocation Economics

Cost of Living Multiplier

Moving cities? Calculate exactly how much salary you need to demand to maintain your current lifestyle based on regional housing and expense indices.

Current & Target Location
Required Target Salary

To Maintain Lifestyle

₹16,00,000

Salary Delta+₹4,00,000
You need a 33.3% hike just to break even on living costs.

The Danger of "Flat" Salary Transfers

  • The Rent Trap: The primary driver of cost of living differences is real estate. A 2BHK flat that rents for ₹15,000 in Indore will easily command ₹45,000 in Bangalore. If you transfer cities on the same salary, you will suffer a massive drop in your savings rate.
  • Negotiation Leverage: Never accept a transfer to a Tier 1 city without a "Cost of Living Adjustment" (COLA). Use these index multiples to prove to HR that a 30% hike is required simply to maintain parity, not as a performance reward.
  • The Remote Work Arbitrage: This index also proves why remote work is so lucrative. Earning a Tier 1 salary (e.g. from a US/Bangalore startup) while living in a Tier 3 city allows you to capture the geographical arbitrage and save over 60% of your income.