City comparison
Albany, NY vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 1.4% higher than in Provo, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Provo, UT would need about $101,400 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 20% in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,326 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Provo, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from Albany, NY to Provo, UT ($109,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.8% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,660 in Provo | $101,358 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Provo, UT
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,326/yr.
73 Strong offer
Provo, UT → Albany, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,326/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Provo, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Provo, UT | Real change, Albany → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $61,722 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $74,678 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $89,508 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $106,437 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $125,776 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $62,930 | $63,785 (−19.5%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $131,210 | $132,992 (+4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $75,700 | $76,728 (−9.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $81,780 | $82,891 (−17.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.