City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Orlando, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Orlando, FL are 10.7% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $110,700 in Orlando, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,731 a month in Orlando, FL versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Orlando, FL and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Lincoln, NE than in Orlando, FL.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Lincoln, NE to Orlando, FL changes real buying power by −9.7%, purely from prices.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- Orlando, FL: price level 101.4 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lincoln, NE | Orlando, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 101.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,741 in Orlando | $90,301 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,731/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $46,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Orlando |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 123.4 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 87.2 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 101.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Orlando, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
37 Weak offer
Orlando, FL → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Lincoln, NE to Orlando, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Orlando, FL | Real change, Lincoln → Orlando |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −9.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −9.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −9.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −9.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −9.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Orlando, FL | Orlando pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $60,190 | $54,352 (−12.3%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $129,620 | $117,048 (+15.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $78,630 | $71,003 (+9.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $83,550 | $75,446 (−13.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.