City comparison
Reno, NV vs Riverside, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Riverside, CA are 5.4% higher than in Reno, NV. Someone earning $100,000 in Reno, NV would need about $105,400 in Riverside, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,777 a month in Riverside, CA versus $1,489 in Reno, NV. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Riverside, CA and 23% in Reno, NV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Riverside, CA than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.1% moving from Reno, NV to Riverside, CA ($106,855 → $124,085), while prices change by +5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.2% in real buying power.
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Reno, NV | Riverside, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 106.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,374 in Riverside | $94,901 in Reno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,489/mo | $1,777/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $48,400 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Reno-Fernley, NV | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA. Metro areas: Reno, NV and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reno | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.5 | 129.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 101.4 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 101.3 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 106.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reno, NV → Riverside, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
47 Fair offer
Riverside, CA → Reno, NV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reno, NV is in the Reno-Fernley, NV pay area; Riverside, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Reno, NV to Riverside, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reno, NV | Riverside, CA | Real change, Reno → Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,965 | $71,957 | +10.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,972 | $87,061 | +10.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,859 | $104,349 | +10.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,855 | $124,085 | +10.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,271 | $146,632 | +10.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reno, NV | Riverside, CA | Riverside pay in Reno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,430 | $98,520 | $93,496 (+49.8%) |
| Software Developers | $125,710 | $133,270 | $126,474 (+0.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,370 | $83,920 | $79,641 (−3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,520 | $133,940 | $127,110 (+18.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.