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Lifestyle Inflation

Your raise is real — but how much of it quietly disappears into a higher lifestyle? This calculator shows what lifestyle creep actually costs, compounded over your investing years.

Annual raise amount

Lifestyle creep — % of raise spent on higher living

0% = bank the whole raise. 100% = none of it is saved.

Expected annual investment return

Years to invest

Opportunity cost of lifestyle creep

$102,489

Raise absorbed by lifestyle$2,500/yr
Raise actually saved$2,500/yr
Total spent on lifestyle (20 yr)$50,000
Portfolio if full raise invested$204,977
Portfolio with 50% creep$102,489
Lost to creep (compounded)$102,489

Assumes the raise is invested at the start of each year (ordinary annuity). Investment return is nominal; adjust for inflation to see real purchasing power. Creep % applies uniformly — real creep is usually higher in year 1.