Cushy Index

Remote Worker Salary Index

Where a remote salary goes furthest — ranked by real lifestyle power after tax and rent.

Direct Answer

For remote workers who can live anywhere, the best city maximises breathing room. Lower-cost cities like Valencia, Lisbon and Austin often beat famous expensive hubs.

Key Takeaways

Remote workers should optimise for breathing room, not prestige.
Valencia, Lisbon and Porto rank highly for a €60k–100k remote salary.
Use Salary Swap to test your salary in any city.

Best value remote cities

Maximise lifestyle per euro.

Lisbon

Cost-efficient Portugal.

Barcelona

Coastal Spain.

Austin

No state income tax.

Valencia

Best-value Spanish city.

Compare remote destinations

Test two cities head to head.

Barcelona vs London

Cheaper south wins often.

Paris vs Lisbon

High vs low cost.

Salary Swap tool

Compare any two cities.

FAQ

What is the best city for remote workers by salary?

Cities with low rent relative to salary — Valencia, Lisbon and Porto consistently top the list for mid-range remote salaries.

How is salary power measured?

By breathing room: net monthly income minus core monthly costs, in local currency.

Calculate your Cushy Index

See your real take-home pay, income rank, rent pressure and lifestyle score.

Open the calculator →

Modeled estimate. Actual results may vary.