City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Cincinnati, OH (95.4) and Pittsburgh, PA (94.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH goes as far as $99,300 in Pittsburgh, PA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH and $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,102 a year higher in Pittsburgh, PA than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.7% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Pittsburgh, PA ($110,865 → $110,047), while prices change by −0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.0% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,267 in Pittsburgh | $100,738 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Pittsburgh, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,102/yr.
71 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Cincinnati, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,102/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Cincinnati → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $63,815 | −0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $77,211 | −0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $92,543 | −0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $110,047 | −0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $130,042 | −0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $76,550 | $77,115 (+19.1%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $124,500 | $125,419 (+3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $76,940 | $77,508 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $82,370 | $82,978 (−0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.