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Start with the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities (RPPs) for a same-year comparison, then price the housing and other expenses your household is likely to face in the specific destination. Finally, compare those costs with realistic local income and take-home pay, and keep one-time moving expenses separate. A state average is a useful baseline—not a prediction of your personal bills.
Start with a consistent state-level benchmark
The BEA’s Regional Price Parities measure price-level differences between states and metropolitan areas for a given year, expressed as a percentage of the national price level. In plain terms, 100 is the national average; an RPP of 110 means the area’s average price level was 10% above it for that year. See the BEA’s Regional Price Parities data.
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The latest state estimates available as of October 7, 2026 are for 2024, published in BEA’s February 19, 2026 release. Examples illustrate the spread: California’s all-items RPP was 110.7, Hawaii’s 110.0, and New Jersey’s 108.8; Arkansas’s was 86.9, Mississippi’s 87.0, and Iowa’s and Oklahoma’s were both 87.8. These figures are averages, not a ranking of where a particular household should move.
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Compare the same year for both places. If you are choosing between particular cities, use BEA metro or local-area RPPs where available rather than assuming the state average describes either destination. The 2024 release discontinued the separate metro-area publication of real PCE and real personal income statistics; that does not mean the state and local RPP product itself has been discontinued.
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Read the index for what it measures—and what it does not
RPP is a weighted measure of average regional price levels for consumer goods and services. It is not a dollar estimate of your household’s budget, an affordability score, or a measure of inflation. An index of 90 does not mean your own bills will necessarily be 10% lower. Inflation measures price changes over time; RPP compares price levels across places for a given year.
BEA builds the estimates using federal data, including Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index (CPI) data, Census American Community Survey housing data, and BEA personal consumption expenditures data. Its methodology combines price relatives and expenditure weights to estimate geographic price differences. Because the index uses broad categories and average prices, your household’s size, housing choice, commute, health needs, and lifestyle may produce a different spending mix. Read the BEA methodology and its additional information on the release for definitions and limitations.
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BEA cautions that CPI was not designed for place-to-place comparisons, and sparse or uneven price samples can make some estimates volatile. For selected volatile CPI items—especially medical and education services—the methodology may replace extreme regional price levels with national price levels. Treat RPP as a consistent starting point, then verify the expenses that matter most to you with current local information.
Compare housing separately
Housing can dominate a household budget, and BEA says rent differences are often the main driver of differences in overall RPPs. In 2024, the housing-rent RPP was 154.3 in California and 54.2 in West Virginia. Those figures compare average rent price levels with the national level; they are not monthly rent amounts or quotes for a particular home.
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For a useful comparison, identify the home type, size, and neighborhoods you would actually consider. Check current rents or likely ownership costs, availability, insurance, and property-related expenses. A statewide rent index can conceal large differences between urban, suburban, and rural areas, and an index cannot tell you whether a suitable home is available at your target price.
Build a destination budget around your household
Use the index to identify where broad price differences may matter, then replace the average basket with realistic estimates for your own recurring expenses. Compare the same categories for your current home and the destination:
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- Housing: rent or likely ownership costs for a comparable home, plus relevant insurance and property costs.
- Utilities: expected bills for the type and size of home you would occupy.
- Food: routine grocery and dining spending, adjusted for your household’s habits.
- Transportation: vehicle costs, transit, commute distance, and likely commute mode.
- Health care: expected medical spending based on your needs and coverage.
- Childcare or education: include these if they apply to your household.
- Other major recurring expenses: add any category that materially affects your monthly budget.
Use actual listings, local quotes, and your own spending history where possible. BEA’s explainer on comparing prices across the country describes separate goods and service categories, but its examples use 2022 data; use the current tables for current comparisons.
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A lower regional price level does not automatically make a move financially favorable. Estimate what you could realistically earn in the destination: do not assume your current salary will transfer unchanged unless your employer and work terms confirm it. Compare expected after-tax take-home pay and relevant benefits or deductions against the destination’s recurring budget.
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BEA’s real personal income statistics are regional, price-adjusted measures—not a forecast of your earnings, personal tax calculation, or estimate of your paycheck. Use them as regional context, not a substitute for a job offer, tax estimate, or benefits comparison.
Keep moving expenses outside the monthly comparison
Moving costs are one-time transition expenses, not the recurring regional price level measured by RPP. Estimate them separately and obtain quotes for your route, moving date, and chosen service level. Depending on your move, include:
- Movers or a rental truck
- Travel to the destination
- Rental or utility deposits
- Storage
- Overlapping rent or mortgage costs
Make a side-by-side scenario
A simple comparison makes assumptions visible and helps separate recurring affordability from the cash needed to relocate. Use the same data date and comparable assumptions for each place; add low and high estimates where a cost is uncertain.
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- Record the benchmark. Note each all-items RPP and, where useful, relevant category indexes such as housing rents.
- Estimate your actual monthly costs. Price the home and recurring categories you expect to use in each location.
- Estimate destination take-home income. Use credible pay and account for taxes, benefits, and deductions separately from the price index.
- Total recurring costs and compare the monthly gap. Calculate how much remains from expected take-home pay after your estimated monthly spending.
- Add one-time relocation costs separately. Do not fold deposits, travel, or movers into a regional price comparison; show how those costs affect the cash required for the move.
- Write down dates and assumptions. Label the price data year and the dates of listings, quotes, income estimates, and tax assumptions so the comparison can be updated.
The BEA product page lists December 10, 2026 as the next scheduled release for state real PCE, real personal income, and RPP estimates. Until that release, the 2024 figures above are the latest state estimates identified here; check the BEA data page for updates when comparing locations.
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