City comparison
Orlando, FL vs Riverside, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Riverside, CA are 5.0% higher than in Orlando, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Orlando, FL would need about $105,000 in Riverside, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,731 a month in Orlando, FL and $1,777 in Riverside, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Riverside, CA than in Orlando, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Orlando, FL to Riverside, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.1% in real buying power.
- Orlando, FL: price level 101.4 (about average)
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Orlando, FL | Riverside, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.4 | 106.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,954 in Riverside | $95,280 in Orlando |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,731/mo | $1,777/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,630 | $48,400 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA. Metro areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Orlando | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.4 | 129.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 101.4 |
| Utilities | 87.2 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 101.3 |
| Overall | 101.4 | 106.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Orlando, FL → Riverside, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
48 Fair offer
Riverside, CA → Orlando, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Orlando, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Riverside, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Orlando, FL to Riverside, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Orlando, FL | Riverside, CA | Real change, Orlando → Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | +11.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | +11.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | +11.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | +11.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | +11.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Orlando, FL | Riverside, CA | Riverside pay in Orlando dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,190 | $98,520 | $93,870 (+56.0%) |
| Software Developers | $129,620 | $133,270 | $126,980 (−2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,630 | $83,920 | $79,959 (+1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,550 | $133,940 | $127,618 (+52.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.