Tools Salary Comparison by Country
What salary would I need in another country?
A salary that feels comfortable in one country can be tight or generous in another. Enter what you earn and where, pick a country to compare, and see the salary that buys the same standard of living there, using purchasing power parity from the World Bank, next to a straight currency conversion.
Your result
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How this calculator works
Salary there = your salary × (PPP factor there ÷ PPP factor where you earn it)
A purchasing power parity (PPP) factor says how many units of a country’s currency buy what one U.S. dollar buys in the United States. The World Bank’s International Comparison Program sets these factors by pricing the same goods and services, from bread to rent to doctor visits, in every country. This calculator uses the factor for household spending, which is the closest match to what a salary pays for.
Dividing one country’s factor by another’s gives the salary with the same buying power. The calculator also converts your salary at the official yearly exchange rate. The gap between the two is how much cheaper or dearer everyday prices are: if the PPP salary is lower than the exchange-rate salary, prices there are lower.
PPP compares national averages for a typical basket of spending, so it is a starting point, not a quote. Big cities usually cost more than the country as a whole, and PPP does not include income tax, social security contributions or what public services cover, which can change take-home pay a lot. Use pre-tax salaries in both countries, and check rents in the city you have in mind.
Words you’ll see
- Purchasing power parity (PPP)
- A conversion rate that makes money buy the same basket of goods and services in each country, so standards of living can be compared.
- International dollar
- An imaginary currency that buys in any country what one U.S. dollar buys in the United States.
- Exchange rate
- What one currency trades for on the market, here the official yearly average against the U.S. dollar.
- Price level
- How expensive a country is overall: the PPP factor divided by the exchange rate. Below 1 means prices lower than in the U.S.
- Cost of living
- What it costs to keep a given standard of living in a place, including housing, food, transport and services.
Common questions
How much do I need to earn in the UK to match $100,000 in the US?
About £70,153 a year buys the same in the United Kingdom as $100,000 does in the United States, using World Bank purchasing power parity for 2025. Converted at the 2025 exchange rate, $100,000 is about £75,947, so everyday prices in the UK are about 8% lower on average.
What is a $50,000 US salary worth in India?
$50,000 a year in the United States buys about the same as ₹991,945 a year in India at purchasing power parity. At the exchange rate it converts to about ₹4,357,920, because prices in India are about 77% lower on average.
What is purchasing power parity (PPP)?
Purchasing power parity is a conversion rate that makes money buy the same basket of goods and services in every country. The World Bank’s International Comparison Program measures it by pricing the same items, from food to rent, around the world.
Why is the PPP salary different from the exchange-rate salary?
Exchange rates are set by trade and investment flows, not by the price of a haircut or a bus ticket. In lower-income countries, local services are usually much cheaper, so a salary converted at the exchange rate understates what it buys there.
Does PPP include rent, taxes and city prices?
PPP includes rent as part of average household spending, but it is a national average, so big cities usually cost more. It does not include income tax or social security contributions, which can change take-home pay a lot, so compare after-tax pay before you decide.
Where do the numbers come from?
The PPP factors come from the World Bank’s International Comparison Program, extended to recent years by the World Bank, and the exchange rates are yearly averages from the IMF’s International Financial Statistics. Both are published in the World Development Indicators.
Sources
- PPP conversion factor, private consumption (LCU per international $), World Bank, World Development Indicators
- Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average), World Bank, World Development Indicators
- International Comparison Program (ICP), World Bank
- Purchasing power parities (PPP), OECD
This tool is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.