City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 1.9% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $101,900 in Asheville, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Asheville, NC to Pittsburgh, PA ($106,437 → $110,047), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.4% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,099 in Pittsburgh | $101,938 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Pittsburgh, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
75 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Asheville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Asheville → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,815 | +5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,211 | +5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $92,543 | +5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,047 | +5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,042 | +5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $76,550 | $78,034 (+55.8%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $124,500 | $126,913 (−5.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $76,940 | $78,431 (−2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $82,370 | $83,967 (+2.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.