City comparison
Durham, NC vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 3.1% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $103,100 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Durham, NC than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Durham, NC to Pittsburgh, PA ($111,147 → $110,047), while prices change by −3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.0% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,027 in Pittsburgh | $103,064 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
78 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Durham → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $63,815 | +2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $77,211 | +2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $92,543 | +2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $110,047 | +2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $130,042 | +2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $76,550 | $78,896 (+53.5%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $124,500 | $128,315 (−5.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $76,940 | $79,298 (−6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $82,370 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.