Can I ask for a cost of living raise after moving?
It is acceptable to request a cost of living raise when you realize you are severely underpaid for your new market. However, the fear of being shunned, seen as a problem, or committing career suicide stops people from bringing up the uncomfortable topic. Instead, they keep their heads down and just take what they are given.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Negotiating the pay adjustment with the employer before making the moveDid this help you?
- 2Switching to a new company to secure the local market rateDid this help you?
- 3Asking for the raise and being prepared to look for a new job if the answer is noDid this help you?
- 4Keeping your head down and accepting whatever compensation you are given without asking for moreDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Is it worth bringing up, or am I just committing career suicide for future advancement?”source ↗
“I've always been one to keep my head down on asking for increases to avoid being seen as a problem.”source ↗
“I've never asked for a raise before, have always taken what I'm given so new territory on bringing up an uncomfortable topic like that.”source ↗
“Recently moved from a lower COL city to NY and realized I’m severely underpaid considering the market here for the same work I do.”source ↗
“Is it acceptable to request a cost of living raise from my company?”source ↗
“Would there be any downside if they say no and I can’t find a job relatively soon? Am I gonna be looked at differently or shunned lol”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 18Is moving to a high-cost area for a higher salary worth it?
- 14How to translate my foreign work experience for a new job market
- 2How to enjoy a pay raise and save for the future
- 3How to ask for a promotion with only one year of experience
- 14How to choose where to move to raise a family
- 7Can a first year teacher ask for time off?