About MetroVersus
MetroVersus is a city intelligence platform built for people who make real decisions—not people who like reading dashboards. We compare cities on cost of living, safety, transport, climate, and quality of life so you can think clearly before you move, relocate, or invest.
Who built this
Marcus J. Ellroy
Founder & Lead Analyst, MetroVersus
Based in Lisbon, Portugal
Marcus spent eight years as a data journalist covering urban economics for regional publications across Europe and Southeast Asia. He has lived in six countries—Germany, Japan, Turkey, the Netherlands, Portugal, and the United States—and built MetroVersus in 2025 after struggling to find a single honest, side-by-side answer to “which city is actually cheaper to live in?”
His background combines quantitative research (BSc Economics, University of Edinburgh), investigative journalism, and hands-on relocation experience. He is not a financial advisor, immigration attorney, or real estate agent—and MetroVersus content should not be treated as professional advice of any kind.
Why MetroVersus exists
Most city comparison tools do one of two things: they bury you in raw numbers with no context, or they give you a suspiciously polished “score” with no explanation of where it came from.
MetroVersus is built around a different premise: comparisons should be fast, explained, and honest about their limits. You should know what a number means before you act on it. You should know when a dataset is a year old. You should know when two cities are close enough that the difference doesn’t matter for your specific situation.
That’s what we try to deliver. Not a verdict. A framework for your own decision.
How we build comparisons — methodology
Every city comparison on MetroVersus draws from a combination of the following source types. We do not rely on a single index or dataset.
| Source Type | Examples | Used For |
|---|---|---|
| International cost indices | ECA International, Mercer Cost of Living, Numbeo | Rent, groceries, transport costs |
| Government & municipal data | Eurostat, US Census Bureau, city open data portals | Population, infrastructure, employment |
| Safety & crime indices | Numbeo Crime Index, OSAC, Global Peace Index (IEP) | Safety scores, crime rates |
| Climate data | NOAA, OpenMeteo historical records | Temperature ranges, rainfall, seasonality |
| Quality of life surveys | Mercer Quality of Living, EIU Liveability Index | Composite livability scores |
How we normalize: Raw numbers from different indices use different base years, currencies, and methodologies. We standardize to a common reference year (updated annually), convert all costs to USD for cross-comparison, and apply a consistency check when two sources significantly disagree. When they disagree by more than 15%, we flag the metric as “uncertain” rather than averaging silently.
⚠️ Data currency: Most cost-of-living indices are updated once or twice per year. MetroVersus comparisons reflect the most recent available data at the time of publication, stated in each article. City conditions change—especially housing costs, safety, and transport infrastructure. Always verify critical figures with local sources before making a major decision.
Update policy
Each comparison page displays a “Last updated” date. We review high-traffic pages quarterly and all pages at minimum once per year. When a significant change occurs—a currency devaluation, major safety event, or infrastructure shift—we update the affected pages within 30 days.
Outdated or incorrect data is one of the fastest ways to lose a reader’s trust. We take corrections seriously. If you find an error, use the contact form or email corrections@metroversus.com with the subject line “Data correction” and a source link. We respond within 5 business days.
What MetroVersus is not
- Not a government dataset portal. We curate and normalize data; we do not produce primary research.
- Not a guaranteed truth engine. City data is inherently messy. We make it less messy—not perfect.
- Not a substitute for professional advice. Relocation, tax, visa, and real estate decisions require professionals. MetroVersus is a starting point, not a final answer.
- Not affiliated with any city, tourism board, or real estate platform. We have no financial relationship with any city we cover. Our comparisons are editorially independent.
Editorial independence
MetroVersus is self-funded. We do not accept sponsored city placements, paid rankings, or advertiser influence over comparison outcomes. If we ever introduce advertising, it will be clearly labeled and will not affect editorial content.
Contact & partnerships
General enquiries
Data corrections
📧 corrections@metroversus.com
Subject: “Data correction”
Partnerships & data
📧 support@metroversus.com
Subject: “Partnership”