City comparison

Cleveland, OH vs Corpus Christi, TX

What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.

Key findings

  • Prices in Cleveland, OH are 1.4% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $101,400 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
  • Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,117 a month in Corpus Christi, TX versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Corpus Christi, TX and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
  • On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cleveland, OH than in Corpus Christi, TX.
  • For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.8% moving from Cleveland, OH to Corpus Christi, TX ($111,138 → $106,955), while prices change by −1.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.5% in real buying power.
ClevelandCorpus Christi
Price level (U.S. = 100):Under 9292–9898–102102–108Over 108
  • Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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

Cleveland, OHCorpus Christi, TX
Price level (U.S. = 100)293.992.7
$100,000 is worth, in the other city2$98,667 in Corpus Christi$101,351 in Cleveland
Typical 1-bedroom rent3$1,058/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 $100,00016%17%
Median pay, all jobs4$50,140$45,350
Federal locality pay area7Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PACorpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX

Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Corpus Christi, TX.

What costs more or less

Cleveland, OHCorpus Christi, TX
Price level (U.S. = 100)ClevelandCorpus Christi
Housing (rent)79.484.9
Goods93.693.8
Utilities96.081.0
Other services98.996.2
Overall93.992.7
BEA Regional Price Parities2. Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Cleveland, OH → Corpus Christi, TX

Roughly even

Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.

73 Strong offer

Corpus Christi, TX → Cleveland, OH

Roughly even

Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.

65 Fair offer

On the GS pay scale?

Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Corpus Christi, TX is in Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Corpus Christi, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.

Grade5,2Cleveland, OHCorpus Christi, TXReal change, Cleveland → Corpus Christi
GS-9 step 1$64,448$62,023−2.5%
GS-11 step 1$77,977$75,042−2.5%
GS-12 step 1$93,461$89,943−2.5%
GS-13 step 1$111,138$106,955−2.5%
GS-14 step 1$131,331$126,389−2.5%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay4Cleveland, OHCorpus Christi, TXCorpus Christi pay in Cleveland dollars
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$76,470$60,210$61,023 (−20.2%)
Software Developers$111,310$123,580$125,250 (+12.5%)
Accountants and Auditors$80,000$75,580$76,601 (−4.2%)
Registered Nurses$83,940$82,690$83,807 (−0.2%)

"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.

Check your own offer

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Taxes are estimates for a single filer taking the standard deduction; city and county income taxes are not included. See the methodology.

Notes & Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, Metropolitan Statistical Area population estimates (Vintage 2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by MSA (MARPP), all items (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  3. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents, 1-bedroom (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, metropolitan areas (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  5. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, General Schedule (GS) pay rates with locality pay, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  6. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Locality codes used in the 2026 GS pay spreadsheet (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  7. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2026 Locality Pay Area Definitions (counties in each pay area) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  8. Tax Foundation, State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  9. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file: states, 1:20,000,000 (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  10. U.S. Census Bureau, Gazetteer file: core based statistical areas (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  11. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, table C24010 (occupation of employed residents) by ZIP code area (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  12. U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Tabulation Area relationship files (2020; Connecticut 2022) and Gazetteer locations (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  13. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary files (ZIP code areas 2020; counties and states 2024) and TIGER/Line primary roads (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  14. Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 tax brackets and standard deduction) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  15. Internal Revenue Service, Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide for 2026 (Social Security and Medicare) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  16. U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, O*NET 31.0 Database: Job Titles (used under CC BY 4.0; O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA) (2026). Retrieved 2026-10-14.