City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 12.7% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $112,700 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,000 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.2% moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Sacramento, CA ($110,047 → $117,984), while prices change by +12.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.8% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Pittsburgh, PA | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,674 in Sacramento | $88,751 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.2%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$2,000/yr.
31 Weak offer
Sacramento, CA → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,000/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Pittsburgh → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $68,419 | −4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $82,780 | −4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $99,218 | −4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $117,984 | −4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $139,422 | −4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $103,390 | $91,760 (+19.9%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $139,640 | $123,932 (−0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $92,110 | $81,749 (+6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $171,460 | $152,173 (+84.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.