City comparison
Provo, UT vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 7.4% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $107,400 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,566 a year higher in Provo, UT than in Toledo, OH.
- 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 Toledo, OH changes real buying power by +7.4%, purely from prices.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Provo, UT | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,101 in Toledo | $107,410 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $820/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Toledo, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,566/yr.
92 Strong offer
Toledo, OH → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,566/yr.
47 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 Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Toledo, OH | Real change, Provo → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +7.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +7.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +7.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +7.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +7.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $63,250 | $67,937 (+8.0%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $104,360 | $112,093 (−14.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $77,400 | $83,135 (+9.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $81,050 | $87,056 (+6.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.