City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 6.6% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $106,600 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $929 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Pittsburgh, PA ($117,402 → $110,047), while prices change by −6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.1% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (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
| Ann Arbor, MI | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,845 in Pittsburgh | $106,559 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$929/yr.
89 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$929/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Ann Arbor → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $63,815 | −0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $77,211 | −0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $92,543 | −0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $110,047 | −0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $130,042 | −0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $76,550 | $81,571 (+27.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $124,500 | $132,665 (+4.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $76,940 | $81,986 (+2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $82,370 | $87,772 (−15.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.