City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 1.1% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $101,100 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,077 a month in Pittsburgh, PA and $1,123 in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,790 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.3% moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Syracuse, NY ($110,047 → $106,437), while prices change by +1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.4% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Pittsburgh, PA | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,131 in Syracuse | $98,881 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → Syracuse, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,790/yr.
65 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Pittsburgh, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,790/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Pittsburgh → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $61,722 | −4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $74,678 | −4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $89,508 | −4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $106,437 | −4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $125,776 | −4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $78,560 | $77,681 (+1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $129,100 | $127,656 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $82,230 | $81,310 (+5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $86,960 | $85,987 (+4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.