City comparison
Ogden, UT vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ogden, UT are 6.0% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $106,000 in Ogden, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,281 a month in Ogden, UT versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Ogden, UT and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $464 a year higher in Ogden, UT than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Ogden, UT to Pittsburgh, PA ($106,437 → $110,047), while prices change by −5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.6% in real buying power.
- Ogden, UT: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Ogden, UT | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,342 in Pittsburgh | $105,998 in Ogden |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,281/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,900 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Ogden, UT MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ogden, UT and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ogden | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 117.9 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 78.8 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ogden, UT → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$464/yr.
87 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Ogden, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$464/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ogden, UT is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Ogden, UT to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ogden, UT | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Ogden → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,815 | +9.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,211 | +9.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $92,543 | +9.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,047 | +9.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,042 | +9.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ogden, UT | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Ogden dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,910 | $76,550 | $81,141 (+27.0%) |
| Software Developers | $109,880 | $124,500 | $131,967 (+20.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,010 | $76,940 | $81,555 (−0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,840 | $82,370 | $87,310 (+6.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.