City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 12.4% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $112,400 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,379 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.6% moving from Omaha, NE to Phoenix, AZ ($107,501 → $111,338), while prices change by +12.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.9% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Omaha, NE | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,409 in Phoenix | $88,961 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,379/yr.
38 Weak offer
Phoenix, AZ → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,379/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Omaha → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $64,564 | −7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $78,117 | −7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $93,629 | −7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $111,338 | −7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $131,568 | −7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $59,180 | $52,647 (−16.0%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $131,750 | $117,206 (−6.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $80,820 | $71,898 (−6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $100,830 | $89,699 (+6.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.