A number without its origin is easy to trust and hard to check. Every important figure on ShresthaGlobal wears a label that says where it came from, how current it is and what was assumed. These are the four labels.
Official source#
Published by a government or statistics agency, shown with its publication date. This is the strongest label, and it still has limits: official figures are often averages, and they can be out of date by the time you read them.
Market sample#
Collected from advertised ranges or reported pay. Useful for orientation and still a sample, not a census. If a range looks wide, that is usually the truth about the market.
Modeled calculation#
Computed by our rules from the inputs you gave us and the assumptions listed beside it. The after-tax pay figure is the clearest example. It answers “what would happen under these simplified rules”, which is different from “what will appear on your payslip”.
Demonstration data#
Illustrative values that show how the numbers fit together. They are not current market data, so please do not rely on them for decisions. Our sample job listings and city cost figures carry this label.
Why we do this#
Two reasons. First, comparisons are only fair when each number is the same kind of thing. Second, we would rather you trust a modest estimate that tells you what it is than a confident one that does not.
What this means for articles#
Articles on this blog show when they were published and when they were last reviewed. When we use a figure, we say which kind it is. When we give general guidance about a process such as credentials or sponsorship, we say it is general, and we point to the body that decides.
The full description is on our method page.