To help offset the cost of living in higher cost areas, military members may be eligible for a Cost-of-Living Allowance (COLA). COLA is designed to compensate for being stationed in certain "high-cost" locations in the continental United States (CONUS).
CONUS COLA Eligibility
You may qualify for CONUS COLA under any of these conditions:
- You are assigned to a high-cost area in the Continental United States (CONUS). As of this writing, there are 20 such locations (military housing areas, or MHAs) in the U.S.
- You are assigned to an unaccompanied tour of duty outside the continental United States if the primary dependent of the member resides in a high cost area in the continental United States.
- It is determined that your primary dependent must reside in a high cost area in CONUS due to your duty location or other circumstances.
Important COLA Details
- CONUS COLA is based on the ZIP code of your duty station, not your home address.
- CONUS COLA is taxable
- COLA is computed separately for members with and without dependents.
Calculate Your CONUS COLA Payment
To see out if you qualify for a CONUS COLA payment check out Military.com's Military Pay App.
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