City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 11.4% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $111,400 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Pittsburgh, PA than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.6% moving from Anchorage, AK to Pittsburgh, PA ($120,348 → $110,047), while prices change by −10.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- 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
| Anchorage, AK | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,804 in Pittsburgh | $111,354 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Anchorage → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $63,815 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $77,211 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $92,543 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $110,047 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $130,042 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $76,550 | $85,242 (+7.5%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $124,500 | $138,636 (+33.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $76,940 | $85,676 (+4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $82,370 | $91,722 (−20.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.