City comparison
Lexington, KY vs San Luis Obispo, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Luis Obispo, CA are 16.9% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $116,900 in San Luis Obispo, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,914 a month in San Luis Obispo, CA versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 31% of take-home pay in San Luis Obispo, CA and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,688 a year higher in San Luis Obispo, CA than in Lexington, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Lexington, KY to San Luis Obispo, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +16.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.3% in real buying power.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- San Luis Obispo, CA: price level 108.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | San Luis Obispo, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 108.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,909 in San Luis Obispo | $85,536 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $1,914/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 31% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $50,770 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | San Luis Obispo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 144.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 147.8 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 108.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → San Luis Obispo, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.5%; rent takes 31% of take-home; state tax +$1,688/yr.
29 Weak offer
San Luis Obispo, CA → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,688/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lexington, KY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; San Luis Obispo, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Lexington, KY to San Luis Obispo, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | San Luis Obispo, CA | Real change, Lexington → San Luis Obispo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | San Luis Obispo, CA | San Luis Obispo pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $97,620 | $83,501 (+35.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $135,020 | $115,491 (−6.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $88,160 | $75,409 (−3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $138,820 | $118,741 (+50.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.