City comparison
Ogden, UT vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ogden, UT are 2.2% higher than in Provo, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Provo, UT would need about $102,200 in Ogden, UT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,281 a month in Ogden, UT and $1,265 in Provo, UT.
- Both are in UT, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,534 a year on $100,000.
- 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 Ogden, UT to Provo, UT changes real buying power by +2.2%, purely from prices.
- Ogden, UT: price level 100.3 (about average)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ogden, UT | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,890 in Provo | $102,155 in Ogden |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,281/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,900 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Ogden, UT MSA and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Ogden, UT and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ogden | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 117.9 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 78.8 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ogden, UT → Provo, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
75 Strong offer
Provo, UT → Ogden, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
62 Fair 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 Ogden, UT to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ogden, UT | Provo, UT | Real change, Ogden → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ogden, UT | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Ogden dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,910 | $62,930 | $64,286 (+0.6%) |
| Software Developers | $109,880 | $131,210 | $134,038 (+22.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,010 | $75,700 | $77,331 (−5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,840 | $81,780 | $83,542 (+2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.