City comparison
Spokane, WA vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Spokane, WA are 6.8% higher than in Tallahassee, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tallahassee, FL would need about $106,800 in Spokane, WA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,193 a month in Spokane, WA and $1,204 in Tallahassee, FL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in WA and $0 in FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Spokane, WA to Tallahassee, FL ($106,991 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.3% in real buying power.
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (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
| Spokane, WA | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,595 in Tallahassee | $106,843 in Spokane |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,193/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,660 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Spokane | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 91.2 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Spokane, WA → Tallahassee, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
90 Strong offer
Tallahassee, FL → Spokane, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Spokane, WA is in the Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID pay area; Tallahassee, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Spokane, WA to Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Spokane, WA | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Spokane → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,044 | $61,722 | +6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,068 | $74,678 | +6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,974 | $89,508 | +6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,991 | $106,437 | +6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,432 | $125,776 | +6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Spokane, WA | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Spokane dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,800 | $55,020 | $58,785 (−40.5%) |
| Software Developers | $130,690 | $121,800 | $130,135 (−0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,350 | $61,840 | $66,072 (−23.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $111,750 | $79,430 | $84,865 (−24.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.