Comparisons

United States vs the rest, side by side

Every comparison below runs the same ten measures against the same US baseline, from rent and groceries to net pay, income tax and VAT, so a number on one page means what it means on another. Each page names the winning side on every line and states the margin.

The US side of every comparison

Overall price level100
1-bed rent, centre$1,700
1-bed rent, outside$1,350
Average net salary$4,230
Top federal income tax37%
Average sales tax7.5%

Country price indices are expressed against a US national average of 100, so 72 means goods and rent cost roughly 28% less than the US average. Of the 15 countries covered, 12 sit more than 2% below that line and 2 pay a higher average net salary. The baseline is held in one place site-wide and was reviewed September 4, 2026.

Choose a comparison

US vs Canada
Cheaper
Overall prices are 9% cheaper than the US average. A centre one-bedroom is 16% cheaper than in the US, and the average net salary is 24% lower.
Price index
91
Centre rent
$1,433
Net salary
$3,210
Wins 6 of the 10 like-for-like measures, the US wins 4.
See the full side by side · Country guide
US vs Ireland
Similar
Overall prices are about the same as the US average. A centre one-bedroom is 33% more expensive than in the US, and the average net salary is 4% lower.
Price index
100
Centre rent
$2,263
Net salary
$4,059
Wins 1 of the 10 like-for-like measures, the US wins 8, 1 level.
See the full side by side · Country guide
US vs Australia
Similar
Overall prices are about the same as the US average. A centre one-bedroom is priced about the same as in the US, and the average net salary is 18% higher.
Price index
100
Centre rent
$1,675
Net salary
$4,996
Wins 1 of the 10 like-for-like measures, the US wins 7, 2 level.
See the full side by side · Country guide
US vs New Zealand
Cheaper
Overall prices are 13% cheaper than the US average. A centre one-bedroom is 35% cheaper than in the US, and the average net salary is 20% lower.
Price index
87
Centre rent
$1,112
Net salary
$3,392
Wins 5 of the 10 like-for-like measures, the US wins 4, 1 level.
See the full side by side · Country guide
US vs Portugal
Much cheaper
Overall prices are 37% cheaper than the US average. A centre one-bedroom is 29% cheaper than in the US, and the average net salary is 51% lower.
Price index
63
Centre rent
$1,200
Net salary
$2,077
Wins 7 of the 10 like-for-like measures, the US wins 3.
See the full side by side · Country guide
US vs Spain
Cheaper
Overall prices are 30% cheaper than the US average. A centre one-bedroom is 18% cheaper than in the US, and the average net salary is 38% lower.
Price index
70
Centre rent
$1,390
Net salary
$2,620
Wins 6 of the 10 like-for-like measures, the US wins 3, 1 level.
See the full side by side · Country guide
US vs the UK
Similar
Overall prices are 8% cheaper than the US average. A centre one-bedroom is 39% more expensive than in the US, and the average net salary is 16% lower.
Price index
92
Centre rent
$2,370
Net salary
$3,566
Wins 3 of the 10 like-for-like measures, the US wins 7.
See the full side by side · Country guide
US vs Italy
Cheaper
Overall prices are 29% cheaper than the US average. A centre one-bedroom is 29% cheaper than in the US, and the average net salary is 36% lower.
Price index
71
Centre rent
$1,200
Net salary
$2,690
Wins 6 of the 10 like-for-like measures, the US wins 4.
See the full side by side · Country guide
US vs Japan
Much cheaper
Overall prices are 34.3% cheaper than the US average. A centre one-bedroom is 25% cheaper than in the US, and the average net salary is 53% lower.
Price index
66
Centre rent
$1,280
Net salary
$1,985
Wins 6 of the 10 like-for-like measures, the US wins 4.
See the full side by side · Country guide
US vs Mexico
Much cheaper
Overall prices are 38% cheaper than the US average. A centre one-bedroom is 55% cheaper than in the US, and the average net salary is 76% lower.
Price index
62
Centre rent
$765
Net salary
$1,010
Wins 8 of the 10 like-for-like measures, the US wins 2.
See the full side by side · Country guide
US vs Germany
Cheaper
Overall prices are 28.5% cheaper than the US average. A centre one-bedroom is 62% cheaper than in the US, and the average net salary is 20% lower.
Price index
72
Centre rent
$645
Net salary
$3,400
Wins 5 of the 10 like-for-like measures, the US wins 5.
See the full side by side · Country guide
US vs the Netherlands
Cheaper
Overall prices are 12% cheaper than the US average. A centre one-bedroom is 4% cheaper than in the US, and the average net salary is 7% lower.
Price index
88
Centre rent
$1,640
Net salary
$3,950
Wins 6 of the 10 like-for-like measures, the US wins 4.
See the full side by side · Country guide
US vs Norway
Similar
Overall prices are about the same as the US average. A centre one-bedroom is 3% cheaper than in the US, and the average net salary is 16% higher.
Price index
99
Centre rent
$1,642
Net salary
$4,912
Wins 3 of the 10 like-for-like measures, the US wins 6, 1 level.
See the full side by side · Country guide
US vs Sweden
Similar
Overall prices are 8% cheaper than the US average. A centre one-bedroom is 29% cheaper than in the US, and the average net salary is 18% lower.
Price index
92
Centre rent
$1,206
Net salary
$3,475
Wins 5 of the 10 like-for-like measures, the US wins 5.
See the full side by side · Country guide
US vs Thailand
Much cheaper
Overall prices are 67.7% cheaper than the US average. A centre one-bedroom is 72% cheaper than in the US, and the average net salary is 89% lower.
Price index
32
Centre rent
$475
Net salary
$485
Wins 8 of the 10 like-for-like measures, the US wins 1, 1 level.
See the full side by side · Country guide

Where the gap against the US is widest

Computed across the whole set. These are distances from the US baseline, not a ranking of the countries against each other.

Widest rent gap: Thailand$475 a month for a centre one-bedroom against $1,700 in the US, a difference of $14,700 a year on rent alone.Widest pay gap: ThailandAverage net pay of $485 a month against $4,230 in the US. Local pay is the figure that changes most between countries, and the one a US remote income makes irrelevant.Widest consumption tax gap: Norway25% VAT inside the shelf price against a 7.5% US average sales tax added at the till.Closest overall match: AustraliaAn overall price index of 100 against the US 100. Cost barely separates the two sides here, so the tax, healthcare and residency questions decide the move instead.

Every comparison as a gap

The country cards above carry the raw figures. This table carries the distance between the two sides instead, ordered from the cheapest country to the most expensive. The set runs from Thailand at an index of 32 to Ireland at 100.

Every column is the country figure minus the US figure, so a minus sign means lower than the US. Rent and salary are monthly averages in US dollars. The last two columns count the ten like-for-like measures each side wins; measures inside the level band are counted for neither.
Comparison	Price level	Centre rent	Net salary	Consumption tax	Won by country	Won by US
US vs Thailand	-68%	-$1,225	-$3,745	-0.5 pts	8	1
US vs Mexico	-38%	-$935	-$3,220	+8.5 pts	8	2
US vs Portugal	-37%	-$500	-$2,153	+15.5 pts	7	3
US vs Japan	-34%	-$420	-$2,245	+2.5 pts	6	4
US vs Spain	-30%	-$310	-$1,610	+13.5 pts	6	3
US vs Italy	-29%	-$500	-$1,540	+14.5 pts	6	4
US vs Germany	-28%	-$1,055	-$830	+11.5 pts	5	5
US vs New Zealand	-13%	-$588	-$838	+7.5 pts	5	4
US vs the Netherlands	-12%	-$60	-$280	+13.5 pts	6	4
US vs Canada	-9%	-$267	-$1,020	-2.5 pts	6	4
US vs Sweden	-8%	-$494	-$755	+17.5 pts	5	5
US vs the UK	-8%	+$670	-$664	+12.5 pts	3	7
US vs Norway	-1%	-$58	+$682	+17.5 pts	3	6
US vs Australia	0%	-$25	+$766	+2.5 pts	1	7
US vs Ireland	0%	+$563	-$171	+15.5 pts	1	8

How these comparisons are built

Ten measures, one baseline

Every country page scores the same ten lines: overall price level, rent in and outside the centre, groceries, transport, utilities, restaurants, average net salary, top income tax and consumption tax. Nothing is weighted and nothing is dropped, so a country cannot look good by being measured on a friendlier list than its neighbour.

What counts as level

Ratios inside 2% of each other are called level rather than a win, because index data is not precise enough to separate them. Headline tax rates are treated the same way inside one percentage point. Ties are shown but not counted for either side.

Why healthcare is scored for neither side

The US number is a premium mostly paid by an employer and largely outside consumer price indices. Elsewhere the same cost is collected through payroll or general taxation. Country pages show the funding model and the typical private premium next to each other rather than declaring a winner on a line the two systems do not share.

Where the count stops being useful

Six of the ten cost lines are components of the same price index, so a cheap country wins them together and the score exaggerates the spread. Read the margins on each row rather than the total, and read the salary row separately if you are bringing a US income with you.

These pages are reference information, not immigration, tax or medical advice. Tax and healthcare rows are simplified by design. Verify anything you plan to act on against the official source linked on each country page. How the data is sourced and checked.

Straight to a guide

Moving to Canada

Moving to Ireland

Moving to Australia

The US baseline