How NoodlePants Works — Data Sources & Methodology
Where every number comes from, and how often it updates.
1. Our data sources
Open Exchange Rates
Used for: Live exchange rates displayed on every country page.
Update frequency: Every hour
World Bank Open Data
Used for: Inflation (CPI), savings rates, GDP per capita, mortgage rates, purchasing power parity.
Update frequency: Annual (World Bank publishes annually)
IMF World Economic Outlook
Used for: Macro economic projections, inflation forecasts.
Update frequency: Twice yearly (April and October)
World Bank ICP (International Comparison Program)
Used for: Cost of living index, relative price levels, purchasing power parity at country level.
Update frequency: Annual
Ookla Speedtest Global Index
Used for: City and country internet speed scores (median fixed-broadband Mbps).
Update frequency: Monthly snapshot
Estimated median rent (research seed)
Used for: City 1BR rent figures, manually researched from public listings data. Displayed as 'Estimated median rent' with a 'Last verified' quarter — not real-time.
Update frequency: Reviewed quarterly
Source: NoodlePants research using public rental listings
Official Immigration Portals
Used for: Visa types, income requirements, validity periods, renewal conditions, path to PR.
Update frequency: Reviewed every 90 days and whenever official immigration policy changes
Source: Direct from each country's official immigration authority
travel-advisory.info
Used for: Travel advisory ratings and safety scores.
Update frequency: Real-time (pulled live from the API on page load)
2. How the Cost of Living index is calculated
The cost-of-living index is the national price level taken directly from the World Bank International Comparison Program (ICP): the PPP conversion factor for private consumption (PA.NUS.PRVT.PP) divided by the official exchange rate (PA.NUS.FCRF). We normalise so the USA = 100. Lower means your money goes further. Switzerland scores ~126, Vietnam ~30.
This is a country-level figure — every city inherits its country's national average. City-level detail is rolling in as we gather verified local data with the community; until then, treat the city number as the national average for that country.
We do not compute our own composite of rent + groceries + transport + dining + utilities. Those line items are shown separately on each country and city page, sourced individually, so you see the actual prices instead of a black-box weighting.
Source: World Bank ICP, refreshed when the World Bank publishes (annual cadence). All non-USD prices elsewhere on the site are converted at the current exchange rate from Open Exchange Rates.
3. How the NoodlePants Match Score is calculated
The Match Score (shown in the quiz results and match engine) is personalised to your inputs and is not the same as the Cost of Living index. Each factor is weighted differently depending on the goal you picked in onboarding or the quiz.
Cost of living vs your income
Higher weight if you said "lower cost of living" is your main goal.
Visa availability for your nationality
We assume an international, English-speaking audience by default.
Digital nomad infrastructure
Internet speed and coworking availability.
Safety score
Based on travel-advisory.info data.
English proficiency
How easy day-to-day life is in English.
Proximity to your home country
Optional weighting if you flagged it during onboarding.
4. What we don't do
NoodlePants is a data comparison tool, not a financial advisor or immigration consultant. We display national averages — your actual costs will vary by city, neighbourhood, lifestyle and circumstances. Visa rules change frequently — always verify with the official immigration authority of your target country before making any decisions. We are not responsible for decisions made based on our data.
5. Data freshness indicators
Every country page shows a "Last reviewed" date. Our team reviews all country data quarterly. If you notice a data error, you can report it using the feedback button on any country page.
6. Missing a country?
We currently cover 150+ countries. If a country you're looking for isn't listed, it's because we don't yet have sufficient reliable data to display meaningful comparisons. We're expanding our coverage regularly. Contact us at hello@noodlepants.com to request a country.