City comparison
Naples, FL 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 5.2% higher than in Naples, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Naples, FL would need about $105,200 in San Luis Obispo, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,914 a month in San Luis Obispo, CA versus $1,797 in Naples, FL. On $100,000, that's 31% of take-home pay in San Luis Obispo, CA and 27% in Naples, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in San Luis Obispo, CA than in Naples, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Naples, FL to San Luis Obispo, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +5.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.8% in real buying power.
- Naples, FL: price level 103.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Naples, FL | San Luis Obispo, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.2 | 108.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,229 in San Luis Obispo | $95,031 in Naples |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,797/mo | $1,914/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 31% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,800 | $50,770 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Naples-Marco Island, FL MSA and San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA. Metro areas: Naples-Marco Island, FL and San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Naples | San Luis Obispo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.4 | 144.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 147.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 103.2 | 108.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Naples, FL → San Luis Obispo, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 31% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
44 Weak offer
San Luis Obispo, CA → Naples, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Naples, FL 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 Naples, FL to San Luis Obispo, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Naples, FL | San Luis Obispo, CA | Real change, Naples → San Luis Obispo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | +10.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | +10.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | +10.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | +10.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | +10.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Naples, FL | San Luis Obispo, CA | San Luis Obispo pay in Naples dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $97,620 | $92,769 (+53.4%) |
| Software Developers | $130,730 | $135,020 | $128,311 (−1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,570 | $88,160 | $83,779 (−0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,330 | $138,820 | $131,922 (+41.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.