Cost of living converter
What does €X in one country feel like in another, adjusted for local prices?
Selectors show only countries with a bundled Eurostat price-level index.
€2,000 in Albania feels like €3,623 in Austria.
Going the other way: €2,000 in Austria ≈ €1,104 in Albania.
PPS (Purchasing Power Standards) rescales money so €1 buys a similar basket of goods everywhere in the EU.
How the cost-of-living conversion works
The converter estimates how much money in a destination country corresponds to the purchasing power of an amount in the origin country. It uses comparative price-level indices with the EU average set to 100.
Formula and example
Equivalent destination amount equals the origin amount multiplied by destination price level divided by origin price level. If the origin index is 90 and the destination index is 120, €3,000 × 120 ÷ 90 gives an estimated equivalent of €4,000. The higher amount reflects the more expensive common basket in the destination.
The percentage shown is a comparison of national price levels, not an exchange-rate forecast. Values are expressed in euros so the result isolates the price-level relationship used by the dataset.
When it is useful
Use the result as a first-pass relocation or salary-negotiation benchmark. It is most meaningful when comparing the same broad consumption pattern in two countries. For a personal budget, follow it with local housing, childcare, transport and tax research.
Important limitations
- Price levels are national averages and do not capture differences between capitals, smaller cities and rural areas.
- A common reference basket will not match every household's spending weights.
- The converter does not include taxes on income, moving costs, exchange fees or future inflation.
Primary source: Eurostat comparative price levels (prc_ppp_ind_1).
Frequently asked questions
What is PPS?
Purchasing Power Standards (PPS) rescale money to equal buying power. €100 in a cheaper country buys more than €100 in a pricier one - PPS adjusts for that gap.
Where does the price level come from?
Eurostat's Comparative Price Level indices, with EU27 = 100.
Is this cost-of-living exact?
It's a whole-economy average. Housing, groceries, and services can differ from the aggregate.