City comparison
Albany, NY vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 5.2% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $105,200 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,790 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.2% moving from Albany, NY to Pittsburgh, PA ($109,810 → $110,047), while prices change by −4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.4% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,084 in Pittsburgh | $105,171 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,790/yr.
85 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,790/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Albany → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $63,815 | +5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $77,211 | +5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $92,543 | +5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $110,047 | +5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $130,042 | +5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $76,550 | $80,508 (+1.6%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $124,500 | $130,937 (+2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $76,940 | $80,918 (−4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $82,370 | $86,629 (−13.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.