City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Urban Honolulu, HI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 14.4% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $114,400 in Urban Honolulu, HI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,016 a month in Urban Honolulu, HI versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,210 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Rochester, NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.7% moving from Rochester, NY to Urban Honolulu, HI ($107,182 → $111,119), while prices change by +14.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.3% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Rochester, NY | Urban Honolulu, HI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 111.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,352 in Urban Honolulu | $87,450 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $2,016/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $73,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $6,070 (HI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $57,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | State of Hawaii |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Urban Honolulu, HI MSA. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Urban Honolulu, HI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 135.5 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 111.6 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 187.3 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 102.9 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 111.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.6%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$1,210/yr.
25 Weak offer
Urban Honolulu, HI → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,210/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Urban Honolulu, HI is in State of Hawaii. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Urban Honolulu, HI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Urban Honolulu, HI | Real change, Rochester → Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $64,438 | −9.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $77,964 | −9.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $93,445 | −9.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $111,119 | −9.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $131,310 | −9.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Urban Honolulu, HI | Urban Honolulu pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $73,080 | $63,908 (+1.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $120,230 | $105,141 (−14.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $74,990 | $65,578 (−18.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $139,260 | $121,782 (+40.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.