If you are earning $100,000 or more than you are in the top five percent of all earners in the United States.  After adjusting for the cost of living, New York is the city on the top of the list for high earning jobs. San Francisco is second in line and Los Angeles comes in third.

We are aware that one hundred thousand in one city is not like making that much in another city. For instance, a Big Mac in Grand Rapids Michigan will cost about two dollars but you cannot find that price in New York City.  This comparison works with everything from insurance to clothing. If you are having trouble making ends meet now, have you considered moving?  It is an economic fact that moving from San Francisco or Boston to Indiana, can have a good impact on your net worth and that takes into account that you take a pay cut in the process.

The large cities have their benefits of course and you pay for those benefits. If you want to live where you can see Pirates of the Caribbean at three in the morning, then you will pay for it. There are many low cost cites in which to live, if you want to live there, like Asheville North Carolina which is 9.3% lower cost of living than any US city.