Rooofread tools · Could I Live There?
A different city. The same you.
Model your own costs in two places, then see the money difference and the time trade.
What the location comparison calculates
A cheaper home can come with a longer commute or a different household budget. Could I Live There? compares the costs you enter for two places, including what the move would mean for take-home pay and time spent getting to work.
What it includes
Rent or an all-in ownership estimate, utilities, transportation, household expenses, take-home income and savings goals. The comparison also uses one-way commute time, days travelling to work and working weeks per year. You can look at renting and buying in each place using your own estimates.
How to read your result
The monthly spending difference tells you which place costs less under your inputs. Breathing room also reflects income, so lower spending does not necessarily mean more money left over. Read the commute hours alongside the dollar difference. Savings per additional commute hour is a trade to consider, not a value assigned to your time.
How the calculation works
The tool replaces shared costs with your city-specific entries and adds each location’s housing and living expenses. It subtracts those expenses and planned savings from that location’s take-home income. Annual commute time is one-way minutes multiplied by two, commuting days and working weeks, divided by 60. There is no automatic city price index or payroll-tax estimate; an ownership estimate should include mortgage, tax, fees, insurance and maintenance.
Read the full methodology, coverage and dated sources →
Questions this tool can help answer
- Would cheaper housing offset a lower take-home salary?
- How many extra hours would I spend commuting?
- What changes if I rent or buy in either location?