City comparison
Urban Honolulu, HI vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 19.7% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $119,700 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 $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,210 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Utica, NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Urban Honolulu, HI to Utica, NY ($111,119 → $106,437), while prices change by −16.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.7% in real buying power.
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (much pricier)
- Utica, NY: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Urban Honolulu, HI | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.0 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,523 in Utica | $119,727 in Urban Honolulu |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,016/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,110 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $6,070 (HI) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,220 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Hawaii | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Urban Honolulu, HI MSA and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Urban Honolulu, HI and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Urban Honolulu | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 135.5 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 111.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 187.3 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 102.9 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 111.0 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Urban Honolulu, HI → Utica, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,210/yr.
100 Strong offer
Utica, NY → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.5%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$1,210/yr.
25 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Urban Honolulu, HI is in the State of Hawaii pay area; Utica, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Urban Honolulu, HI to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | Utica, NY | Real change, Urban Honolulu → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,438 | $61,722 | +14.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,964 | $74,678 | +14.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,445 | $89,508 | +14.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,119 | $106,437 | +14.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,310 | $125,776 | +14.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Urban Honolulu, HI | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Urban Honolulu dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,080 | $77,010 | $92,202 (+26.2%) |
| Software Developers | $120,230 | $113,390 | $135,759 (+12.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,990 | $79,830 | $95,578 (+27.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,260 | $94,300 | $112,903 (−18.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.