I don't think making dollar for dollar comparisons are useful in almost any way. MMM is more about lifestyle than meeting or beating a specific cost of living level, no matter how you factor it. One huge variable you didn't even mention is the different phases of our lives, from paying off debt, to building a mustache, to FI. Comparing numbers, no matter how it's adjusted and factored, can't convey the complex issues involved. You simply need to understand the issues at play, the goals in mind, the principles you choose to follow, and make sure you are living accordingly.