City comparison
New York, NY vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 22.5% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $122,500 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,189 a year higher in New York, NY than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.3% moving from New York, NY to Omaha, NE ($125,431 → $107,501), while prices change by −18.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.0% in real buying power.
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much pricier)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| New York, NY | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 112.6 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $81,653 in Omaha | $122,470 in New York |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,655/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 43% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,430 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New York | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.6 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 127.0 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 105.8 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 112.6 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New York, NY → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +22.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,189/yr.
100 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.3%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$1,189/yr.
11 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
New York, NY is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from New York, NY to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New York, NY | Omaha, NE | Real change, New York → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $62,339 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $75,425 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $90,402 | +5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $107,501 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $127,033 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New York, NY | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in New York dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $96,900 | $62,670 | $76,752 (−20.8%) |
| Software Developers | $166,830 | $125,220 | $153,356 (−8.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $105,650 | $77,030 | $94,338 (−10.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $119,720 | $84,600 | $103,609 (−13.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.