City comparison
Orlando, FL vs Palm Bay, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Orlando, FL are 1.4% higher than in Palm Bay, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Palm Bay, FL would need about $101,400 in Orlando, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,731 a month in Orlando, FL versus $1,478 in Palm Bay, FL. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Orlando, FL and 22% in Palm Bay, FL.
- Both are in FL, so estimated state income tax is the same: $0 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.7% moving from Orlando, FL to Palm Bay, FL ($106,437 → $107,228), while prices change by −1.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.2% in real buying power.
- Orlando, FL: price level 101.4 (about average)
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Orlando, FL | Palm Bay, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.4 | 100.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,607 in Palm Bay | $101,413 in Orlando |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,731/mo | $1,478/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,630 | $49,030 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL |
Rent areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA. Metro areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL and Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Orlando | Palm Bay |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.4 | 111.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.2 | 88.1 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 101.4 | 100.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Orlando, FL → Palm Bay, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
73 Strong offer
Palm Bay, FL → Orlando, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Orlando, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Palm Bay, FL is in Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Orlando, FL to Palm Bay, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Orlando, FL | Palm Bay, FL | Real change, Orlando → Palm Bay |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,181 | +2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,233 | +2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,173 | +2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,228 | +2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,711 | +2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Orlando, FL | Palm Bay, FL | Palm Bay pay in Orlando dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,190 | $62,510 | $63,393 (+5.3%) |
| Software Developers | $129,620 | $131,760 | $133,622 (+3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,630 | $75,860 | $76,932 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,550 | $80,900 | $82,043 (−1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.