OCONUS COLA (Overseas Cost of Living Allowance) is a non-taxable allowance paid to military service members stationed at overseas duty stations to help offset the higher cost of living compared to the average cost of living in the United States.

How is OCONUS COLA calculated?

OCONUS COLA is calculated based on a COLA index for your duty station location, combined with your pay grade, years of service, and number of dependents. The index represents the percentage above baseline living costs (e.g., index 128 means 28% above baseline).

Who is eligible for OCONUS COLA?

Military service members stationed at overseas duty stations outside the continental United States (OCONUS) may be eligible for OCONUS COLA. This includes locations like Japan, Korea, Germany, Italy, Hawaii, Alaska, Guam, and many other overseas locations.

Is OCONUS COLA taxable?

No, OCONUS COLA is a non-taxable allowance. Unlike CONUS COLA which is taxable, overseas COLA is tax-free.

How often are OCONUS COLA rates updated?

OCONUS COLA rates are reviewed and updated regularly by the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO), often multiple times per year, to reflect changes in local cost of living and currency exchange rates.

2026 OCONUS COLA Calculator

Look up the Overseas Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) index for your duty station. Find COLA rates for overseas locations including Japan, Korea, Germany, and U.S. territories.

OCONUS COLA Calculator

Popular Duty Stations

Okinawa

Yokota

Yokosuka

Osan AB (incl Camp Humphreys)

Kaiserslautern Military Community

Stuttgart Military Community

Naples

Vicenza (incl Longare)

Filter by Country/Territory

Overseas Location

Pay Grade

Years of Service: 4

Number of Dependents

Living in barracks/dorms with meal card (reduced rate ~63%)

Select an overseas location to calculate your OCONUS COLA.

Data Sources: This calculator uses January 2026 COLA indices with CY 2025 spendable income tables. The 2026 spendable income tables have not yet been released by DTMO. We will update this calculator when the new tables become available.

About OCONUS COLA: The Overseas Cost of Living Allowance is a non-taxable allowance that helps offset higher living costs at overseas duty stations. Your actual COLA may vary slightly based on additional factors.

Barracks/Dorm Residents: Single service members living in government quarters with a meal card typically receive approximately 63% of the standard COLA rate, as some living expenses are already covered.

Popular OCONUS COLA Locations

Here are the COLA indexes for some of the most common overseas military duty stations:

Location	Country/Territory	COLA Index	Above Baseline
Okinawa	Japan	102	+2%
Yokota	Japan	108	+8%
Yokosuka	Japan	110	+10%
Osan AB (incl Camp Humphreys)	Korea, South	108	+8%
Kaiserslautern Military Community	Germany	130	+30%
Stuttgart Military Community	Germany	132	+32%
Naples	Italy	132	+32%
Vicenza (incl Longare)	Italy	122	+22%
Lakenheath/Mildenhall	United Kingdom	124	+24%
Rota	Spain	136	+36%
Bahrain	Bahrain	128	+28%
Guam	Guam	122	+22%
Oahu	Hawaii	120	+20%
Anchorage (Incl Eagle River)	Alaska	128	+28%

Understanding OCONUS COLA

OCONUS COLA (Overseas Cost of Living Allowance) is a non-taxable allowance that helps military service members stationed overseas offset the higher cost of living at their duty station compared to the average cost of living in the United States.

How the COLA Index Works

The COLA index represents the relative cost of living at an overseas location compared to a baseline of 100 (which represents average U.S. costs). For example:

Index 120 = Living costs are 20% above the U.S. baseline
Index 150 = Living costs are 50% above the U.S. baseline
Index "None" = No COLA is paid (costs are at or below baseline)

OCONUS vs. CONUS COLA

Feature	OCONUS COLA	CONUS COLA
Locations	Overseas & U.S. territories	Continental United States
Tax Status	Non-taxable	Taxable
Update Frequency	Multiple times per year	Annually (January)
Calculation	Index-based with DoD tables	Base rate × location index

Factors That Affect Your OCONUS COLA

Your actual OCONUS COLA payment amount depends on several factors:

Duty Station Location - Each location has its own COLA index
Pay Grade - Higher grades generally receive higher COLA
Years of Service - Affects your spendable income calculation
Number of Dependents - Members with dependents receive higher rates

Where OCONUS COLA Applies

OCONUS COLA is paid at duty stations outside the continental United States, including:

Pacific: Japan, South Korea, Guam, Hawaii, Alaska
Europe: Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium
Middle East: Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, UAE
U.S. Territories: Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, American Samoa

COLA indexes shown are from official Department of Defense data effective January 2026. Rates are subject to change. For the most current rates and your exact payment amount, use the official DoD COLA Rate Lookup tool.