City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 3.7% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $103,700 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Raleigh, NC than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Raleigh, NC ($110,047 → $111,147), while prices change by +3.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.6% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
- Raleigh, NC: 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
| Pittsburgh, PA | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,682 in Raleigh | $96,449 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
57 Fair offer
Raleigh, NC → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Pittsburgh → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $64,453 | −2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $77,983 | −2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $93,468 | −2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $111,147 | −2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $131,342 | −2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $60,170 | $58,033 (−24.2%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $132,770 | $128,055 (+2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $81,950 | $79,040 (+2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $84,830 | $81,817 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.