City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs El Paso, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 4.5% higher than in El Paso, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in El Paso, TX would need about $104,500 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH and $1,013 in El Paso, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cleveland, OH than in El Paso, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Cleveland, OH to El Paso, TX ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.0% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cleveland, OH | El Paso, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 89.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,729 in El Paso | $104,461 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $1,013/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $39,510 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and El Paso, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | El Paso |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 71.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 82.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 89.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → El Paso, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
83 Strong offer
El Paso, TX → Cleveland, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; El Paso, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to El Paso, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | El Paso, TX | Real change, Cleveland → El Paso |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | El Paso, TX | El Paso pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $63,800 | $66,646 (−12.8%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $127,310 | $132,989 (+19.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $65,990 | $68,934 (−13.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $86,100 | $89,941 (+7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.