City comparison
Albany, NY vs Salt Lake City, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 1.3% higher than in Albany, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Albany, NY would need about $101,300 in Salt Lake City, UT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,417 a month in Albany, NY and $1,456 in Salt Lake City, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,326 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Salt Lake City, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from Albany, NY to Salt Lake City, UT ($109,810 → $106,437), while prices change by +1.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.3% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Salt Lake City, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,308 in Salt Lake City | $98,709 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,456/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $55,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 123.3 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 79.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Salt Lake City, UT
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,326/yr.
65 Fair offer
Salt Lake City, UT → Albany, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,326/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Salt Lake City, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Salt Lake City, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Salt Lake City, UT | Real change, Albany → Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $61,722 | −4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $74,678 | −4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $89,508 | −4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $106,437 | −4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $125,776 | −4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $77,920 | $76,914 (−2.9%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $129,600 | $127,927 (+0.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $82,100 | $81,040 (−4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $85,890 | $84,781 (−15.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.