City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 2.2% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $102,200 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,117 a month in Corpus Christi, TX and $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Pittsburgh, PA than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.9% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Pittsburgh, PA ($106,955 → $110,047), while prices change by +2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.7% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (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
| Corpus Christi, TX | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,158 in Pittsburgh | $97,887 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
62 Fair offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Corpus Christi → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $63,815 | +0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $77,211 | +0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $92,543 | +0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $110,047 | +0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $130,042 | +0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $76,550 | $74,933 (+24.5%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $124,500 | $121,870 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $76,940 | $75,315 (−0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $82,370 | $80,630 (−2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.