City comparison
Palm Bay, FL vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Palm Bay, FL are 5.6% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $105,600 in Palm Bay, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Palm Bay, FL versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Palm Bay, FL and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Pittsburgh, PA than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.6% moving from Palm Bay, FL to Pittsburgh, PA ($107,228 → $110,047), while prices change by −5.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.4% in real buying power.
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (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
| Palm Bay, FL | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,666 in Pittsburgh | $105,634 in Palm Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,030 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Palm Bay | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.7 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 88.1 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Palm Bay, FL → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
86 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Palm Bay, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Palm Bay, FL is in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Palm Bay, FL to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Palm Bay, FL | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Palm Bay → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,181 | $63,815 | +8.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,233 | $77,211 | +8.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,173 | $92,543 | +8.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,228 | $110,047 | +8.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,711 | $130,042 | +8.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Palm Bay, FL | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Palm Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,510 | $76,550 | $80,863 (+29.4%) |
| Software Developers | $131,760 | $124,500 | $131,515 (−0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,860 | $76,940 | $81,275 (+7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,900 | $82,370 | $87,011 (+7.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.