City comparison
Boston, MA vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 14.4% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $114,400 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,710 a year higher in Boston, MA than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.7% moving from Boston, MA to Pittsburgh, PA ($120,548 → $110,047), while prices change by −12.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.4% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- 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
| Boston, MA | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,443 in Pittsburgh | $114,360 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,710/yr.
100 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.6%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$1,710/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Boston → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $63,815 | +4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $77,211 | +4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $92,543 | +4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $110,047 | +4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $130,042 | +4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $76,550 | $87,543 (−10.7%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $124,500 | $142,379 (−14.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $76,940 | $87,989 (−12.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $82,370 | $94,199 (−11.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.