City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 10.0% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $110,000 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,000 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −17.3% moving from Modesto, CA to Pittsburgh, PA ($133,060 → $110,047), while prices change by −9.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.1% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
- 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
| Modesto, CA | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,935 in Pittsburgh | $109,968 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,000/yr.
100 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,000/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Modesto → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $63,815 | −9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $77,211 | −9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $92,543 | −9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $110,047 | −9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $130,042 | −9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $76,550 | $84,181 (−17.2%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $124,500 | $136,910 (+14.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $76,940 | $84,610 (+1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $82,370 | $90,581 (−31.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.