City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 3.0% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $103,000 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,566 a year higher in Provo, UT than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Provo, UT ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by +3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.8% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- 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
| Cincinnati, OH | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,001 in Provo | $97,086 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,566/yr.
60 Fair offer
Provo, UT → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,566/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Provo, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Provo, UT | Real change, Cincinnati → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | −6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | −6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | −6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | −6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | −6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $62,930 | $61,097 (−5.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $131,210 | $127,387 (+4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $75,700 | $73,494 (−8.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $81,780 | $79,397 (−5.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.