Real cost-of-living data for 50 US cities, computed from government sources using the 50/30/20 budget rule. No guesswork — just the numbers.
We pull real data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and HUD Fair Market Rents, then apply the 50/30/20 budgeting rule: 50% of income covers necessities (housing, food, transport, healthcare, utilities), 30% goes to discretionary spending, and 20% to savings. The result is the minimum gross salary you need to live comfortably — not lavishly, not paycheck-to-paycheck.