City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 1.8% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $101,800 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC versus $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 20% in Provo, UT.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,534 in UT.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Asheville, NC to Provo, UT changes real buying power by −1.8%, purely from prices.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,788 in Provo | $98,243 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Provo, UT
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$53/yr.
63 Fair offer
Provo, UT → Asheville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$53/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Provo, UT | Real change, Asheville → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $62,930 | $61,824 (+23.5%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $131,210 | $128,905 (−4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $75,700 | $74,370 (−7.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $81,780 | $80,343 (−1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.