Enter both offers. We adjust for tax, cost of living, and commute time to show what each is actually worth.
⚠ Estimates only, not tax advice — see the note below the results for details.
Each line already includes every adjustment above it — this isn't a list to add up. Compare using the bottom line only.
Estimates only, not tax advice. US uses 2026 federal brackets (single filer) plus an approximate state rate; UK uses 2026/27 income tax bands with the personal allowance taper above £100,000. Cost-of-living index from Numbeo (New York = 100). Commute cost values time at each offer's own cost-of-living-adjusted hourly rate, assuming 220 working days/year, so the deduction stays in the same real-terms scale as the rest of the comparison.
Offer Ledger takes two job offers and adjusts each one through four stages to estimate what it's really worth, in your pocket, per year.
We add base salary, annual bonus, and the annual value of stock or RSUs. A one-time signing bonus is spread evenly over an assumed four-year stay, since a $10,000 signing bonus isn't really worth $10,000 a year if you're comparing annual value.
For US offers, we apply the current federal income tax brackets plus an approximate state income tax rate for the offer's city — several states, including Texas, Florida, and Washington, charge no state income tax at all. For UK offers, we apply the current income tax bands, including the personal allowance taper that raises the effective marginal rate between £100,000 and £125,140.
After-tax income is divided by the offer city's cost-of-living index, using New York City as the baseline (index 100). A salary that looks larger on paper can be worth less once local prices are factored in, and vice versa.
Time is worth something. We estimate annual commute hours from your one-way commute time (assuming 220 working days a year) and value each hour at the offer's own cost-of-living-adjusted hourly rate, then subtract that from the total — keeping the deduction in the same real-terms scale as the rest of the comparison. Fully remote offers skip this step entirely.
No. Offer Ledger gives you a directional estimate to help you think through a decision, not a substitute for a tax professional or financial advisor. Tax situations vary by filing status, deductions, and personal circumstances that a general calculator can't capture.
We currently support a set of major cities in the United States and United Kingdom. Use the "View supported cities" button at the top of the page to see the full list — we add more based on demand.
Cost-of-living indices are based on Numbeo's city cost-of-living rankings, using New York City as the index-100 baseline. These are periodically refreshed as new data becomes available.
Two offers with identical take-home pay aren't equal if one costs you an extra hour a day in traffic. We convert commute time into a dollar cost using your own cost-of-living-adjusted hourly rate, so the deduction stays on the same real-terms scale as the rest of the comparison, reflecting your time, not just your paycheck.
Tax brackets are reviewed annually each January, covering both the new US federal brackets and the UK's tax year beginning that April. This tool currently reflects 2026 tax-year figures.
Your inputs are only used in your browser to calculate a result. If you use the "Copy shareable link" button, your inputs are encoded directly into that URL — nothing is stored on a server.
Tax-year data: 2026