City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Corpus Christi, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 2.9% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $102,900 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,117 a month in Corpus Christi, TX versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Corpus Christi, TX and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cincinnati, OH than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.5% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Corpus Christi, TX ($110,865 → $106,955), while prices change by −2.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.7% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | Corpus Christi, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,170 in Corpus Christi | $102,912 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,117/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $45,350 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Corpus Christi, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 84.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
78 Strong offer
Corpus Christi, TX → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Corpus Christi, TX is in Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Corpus Christi, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Corpus Christi, TX | Real change, Cincinnati → Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $62,023 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $75,042 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,943 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,955 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $126,389 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Corpus Christi, TX | Corpus Christi pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $60,210 | $61,964 (−4.3%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $123,580 | $127,179 (+4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $75,580 | $77,781 (−3.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $82,690 | $85,098 (+1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.