City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs McAllen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 11.0% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $111,000 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH versus $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cincinnati, OH and 13% in McAllen, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cincinnati, OH than in McAllen, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to McAllen, TX ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.6% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | McAllen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 85.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,065 in McAllen | $111,031 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $847/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% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $35,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | McAllen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 55.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 85.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.0%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
McAllen, TX → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; McAllen, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to McAllen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | McAllen, TX | Real change, Cincinnati → McAllen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | +6.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | +6.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | +6.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | +6.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | +6.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | McAllen, TX | McAllen pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $63,110 | $70,072 (+8.2%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $116,120 | $128,929 (+6.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $64,470 | $71,582 (−11.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $80,540 | $89,424 (+6.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.