avoid cherry picking ppp comparisons
How to Avoid Cherry Picking PPP Comparisons
PPP salary comparisons stay fair when you keep inputs aligned, save scenarios, and treat FX snapshots and PPP ratios as context, not as one perfect answer.
Published: January 1, 2026 · Updated: January 1, 2026 · By FinToolSuite Editorial
Disclaimer
- Educational purposes only, not financial, tax, legal, or relocation advice.
- Examples are illustrative and simplified.
- Results depend on your inputs, PPP ratios, FX snapshots, and simplified tax assumptions and are not guaranteed.
Quick answers
- Hold the inputs constant.
- Save scenarios for each destination.
- Note the FX snapshot date.
- Compare ranges, not one perfect number.
Avoid cherry picking ppp comparisons: what it looks like
- Changing salary or pension between runs.
- Toggling tax on for one country but not another.
- Comparing results from different FX days without noting it.
- Imagining city-level costs while using national PPP averages.
Fair comparison checklist
| Item | Keep the same | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary and frequency | Match across runs. | Stops conversion and base errors. |
| Pension percent | Same percent in each run. | Keeps the base consistent. |
| Tax toggle setting | All on or all off. | Avoids mixed net vs gross. |
| Scenario labels | Clear names per destination/date. | Prevents confusion later. |
| FX day | Same day if possible. | Removes snapshot drift. |
| Same origin country | Do not change origin mid-comparison. | Keeps the reference stable. |
| Same time of comparison | Run back to back if you can. | Reduces FX and input drift. |
Illustrative example
| Setting | Run A | Run B |
|---|---|---|
| Salary | $70,000 | $70,000 |
| Pension percent | 3% | 8% |
| Tax toggle | On | On |
| PPP adjusted salary | $92,000 | $88,000 |
Changing pension alone shifted the PPP adjusted result. Compare runs where only one input moves.
Use multiple scenarios
Save a scenario for Destination A and another for Destination B with identical inputs. Change one variable at a time so you can explain why results differ.
Learn more on using scenarios and comparing destinations.
Sanity checks to add
- Compare PPP adjusted salary and FX converted salary together.
- Consider housing sensitivity at a high level.
- Build a simple personal basket check for big categories.
- Treat small differences as noise, not certainty.
See more runs on the PPP examples page.
Common mistakes
- Mixing pay frequencies.
- Forgetting which toggle was used.
- Comparing different FX days without noticing.
- Assuming PPP is city specific.
- Over trusting small percent changes.
- Ignoring benefits and deductions.
- Using one run to make a big conclusion.
- Treating outputs as guarantees.
Review the Privacy Policy before sharing scenario exports or personal details.
FAQs
What is cherry picking in PPP comparisons?
Changing inputs between runs and treating the result as fair. Keep settings aligned.
Do I need to run comparisons on the same day?
It helps because FX moves. If not, note the dates.
How many scenarios should I save?
Save one per destination or per key change so you can compare them later.
Is PPP city specific?
No. PPP is national average; city costs can differ.
Can I export results?
Yes. Export after labeling scenarios so you know what changed.
Is this relocation advice?
No. This is educational and illustrative.