City comparison
Provo, UT vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 1.2% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $101,200 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,265 a month in Provo, UT and $1,256 in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,326 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Provo, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.7% moving from Provo, UT to Rochester, NY ($106,437 → $107,182), while prices change by −1.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Provo, UT | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,781 in Rochester | $101,234 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Rochester, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,326/yr.
73 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Provo, UT
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,326/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Provo, UT is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Provo, UT to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Rochester, NY | Real change, Provo → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,155 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,202 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,135 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,182 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,657 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $62,840 | $63,615 (+1.1%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $122,770 | $124,284 (−5.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $80,890 | $81,888 (+8.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $86,570 | $87,638 (+7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.