City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 5.9% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $105,900 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,122 a month in Detroit, MI and $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $929 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Pittsburgh, PA ($117,402 → $110,047), while prices change by −5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.7% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Detroit, MI | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,390 in Pittsburgh | $105,944 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$929/yr.
87 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$929/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Detroit → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $63,815 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $77,211 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $92,543 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $110,047 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $130,042 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $76,550 | $81,100 (+24.4%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $124,500 | $131,900 (+0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $76,940 | $81,513 (+1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $82,370 | $87,266 (−10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.