About this site

Last updated: June 2026

Should I move there? helps you compare countries on the things that actually shape day-to-day life — how far your money goes, how safe a place is, the climate, and how much paid time off you get — and lets you weight each factor by how much you care about it.

What makes it different

Most cost-of-living comparison sites rely on numbers submitted by anonymous users, which can be inconsistent or out of date. This site uses only official, citable statistics from recognised bodies, and every figure shows its source and reference year. The goal is an honest starting point for your own research — not a crowd-sourced guess.

How the score works

The headline metric is Spending Power — the average net (after-tax) monthly wage divided by the local price level. In plain terms: real take-home pay expressed in US-priced dollars, so it folds wages, tax and cost of living into a single number. Alongside it we show:

• Safety — the intentional homicide rate per 100,000 people.
• Climate — the average annual temperature, scored by how close it is to the temperature you prefer.
• Time off — statutory paid annual leave plus public holidays.

Each metric is scaled from 0–100 across the countries shown, then blended using the weights you set with the sliders. Change the weights and the ranking re-sorts instantly, because the right answer depends on what matters to you.

Where the data comes from

• Wages & prices: OECD, national statistics offices and the World Bank price-level index.
• Safety: World Bank / UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) homicide statistics.
• Climate: World Bank climate data and public temperature records.
• Time off: statutory leave entitlements and official public-holiday calendars.

Honest limitations

These figures are national averages and statutory baselines, simplified for comparison. Real life varies by city, region, industry, tenure and personal circumstances. Some countries have no national minimum wage, and some figures (especially for fast-changing economies) are best-available estimates. Treat the rankings as a guide to inform deeper research, not as financial, tax, legal or relocation advice.

Contact

Questions, corrections or a data source we should add? Email suggestions@shouldimovethere.com.