City comparison
El Paso, TX vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 21.1% higher than in El Paso, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in El Paso, TX would need about $121,100 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,013 in El Paso, TX. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 15% in El Paso, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,532 a year higher in Washington, DC than in El Paso, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from El Paso, TX to Washington, DC ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by +21.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.5% in real buying power.
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (much cheaper)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| El Paso, TX | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.9 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $121,101 in Washington | $82,576 in El Paso |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,013/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $39,510 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: El Paso, TX and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | El Paso | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.2 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 82.6 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 89.9 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
El Paso, TX → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.4%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$5,532/yr.
26 Weak offer
Washington, DC → El Paso, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$5,532/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
El Paso, TX is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from El Paso, TX to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | El Paso, TX | Washington, DC | Real change, El Paso → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | −5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | −5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | −5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | −5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | −5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | El Paso, TX | Washington, DC | Washington pay in El Paso dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,800 | $79,470 | $65,623 (+2.9%) |
| Software Developers | $127,310 | $154,930 | $127,935 (+0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,990 | $102,140 | $84,343 (+27.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,100 | $102,710 | $84,814 (−1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.