City comparison
Ocala, FL vs Salt Lake City, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 5.9% higher than in Ocala, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Ocala, FL would need about $105,900 in Salt Lake City, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,456 a month in Salt Lake City, UT versus $1,172 in Ocala, FL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Salt Lake City, UT and 18% in Ocala, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,534 a year higher in Salt Lake City, UT than in Ocala, 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 Ocala, FL to Salt Lake City, UT changes real buying power by −5.6%, purely from prices.
- Ocala, FL: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ocala, FL | Salt Lake City, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.2 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,916 in Salt Lake City | $94,414 in Ocala |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,172/mo | $1,456/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,990 | $55,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Ocala, FL MSA and Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ocala, FL and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ocala | Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.2 | 123.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 87.1 | 79.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 95.2 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ocala, FL → Salt Lake City, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,534/yr.
51 Fair offer
Salt Lake City, UT → Ocala, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,534/yr.
87 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 Ocala, FL to Salt Lake City, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ocala, FL | Salt Lake City, UT | Real change, Ocala → Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ocala, FL | Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City pay in Ocala dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,540 | $77,920 | $73,568 (+27.9%) |
| Software Developers | $112,780 | $129,600 | $122,361 (+8.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,370 | $82,100 | $77,514 (+4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,230 | $85,890 | $81,093 (+2.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.