City comparison
Provo, UT vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 4.6% higher than in Tallahassee, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tallahassee, FL would need about $104,600 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,265 a month in Provo, UT and $1,204 in Tallahassee, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,534 a year higher in Provo, UT than in Tallahassee, FL.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Provo, UT to Tallahassee, FL changes real buying power by +4.6%, purely from prices.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Provo, UT | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,609 in Tallahassee | $104,592 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Tallahassee, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,534/yr.
83 Strong offer
Tallahassee, FL → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,534/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Provo, UT to Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Provo → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $55,020 | $57,547 (−8.6%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $121,800 | $127,393 (−2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $61,840 | $64,680 (−14.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $79,430 | $83,078 (+1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.