City comparison
Provo, UT vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Provo, UT (98.2) and Richmond, VA (97.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Provo, UT goes as far as $99,600 in Richmond, VA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 20% in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,402 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Provo, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.5% moving from Provo, UT to Richmond, VA ($106,437 → $111,183), while prices change by −0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.9% in real buying power.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Provo, UT | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,619 in Richmond | $100,382 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Richmond, VA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,402/yr.
70 Fair offer
Richmond, VA → Provo, UT
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,402/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Provo, UT is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Provo, UT to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Richmond, VA | Real change, Provo → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,475 | +4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,009 | +4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,499 | +4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,183 | +4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,385 | +4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $61,290 | $61,524 (−2.2%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $132,120 | $132,625 (+1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $84,220 | $84,542 (+11.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $93,580 | $93,938 (+14.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.