City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Spokane, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 1.2% higher than in Spokane, WA. Someone earning $100,000 in Spokane, WA would need about $101,200 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,286 a month in Eugene, OR versus $1,193 in Spokane, WA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Eugene, OR and 18% in Spokane, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.5% moving from Eugene, OR to Spokane, WA ($106,437 → $106,991), while prices change by −1.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Eugene, OR | Spokane, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,797 in Spokane | $101,218 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $1,193/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $54,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 91.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Spokane, WA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
73 Strong offer
Spokane, WA → Eugene, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Spokane, WA is in Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID. The last column shows what a transfer from Eugene, OR to Spokane, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Spokane, WA | Real change, Eugene → Spokane |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,044 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,068 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,974 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,991 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,432 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Spokane, WA | Spokane pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $98,800 | $100,003 (+55.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $130,690 | $132,282 (+9.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $86,350 | $87,402 (+9.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $111,750 | $113,111 (−0.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.