City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Cleveland, OH (93.9) and Pittsburgh, PA (94.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Cleveland, OH goes as far as $100,800 in Pittsburgh, PA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,058 a month in Cleveland, 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 Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Cleveland, OH to Pittsburgh, PA ($111,138 → $110,047), while prices change by +0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.8% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,796 in Pittsburgh | $99,210 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/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 | $50,140 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Pittsburgh, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,102/yr.
66 Fair offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Cleveland, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,102/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Cleveland → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $63,815 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $77,211 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $92,543 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $110,047 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $130,042 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $76,550 | $75,945 (−0.7%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $124,500 | $123,516 (+11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $76,940 | $76,332 (−4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $82,370 | $81,719 (−2.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.