City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs McAllen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 9.3% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $109,300 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH versus $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cleveland, OH and 13% in McAllen, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cleveland, OH than in McAllen, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Cleveland, OH to McAllen, TX ($111,138 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.7% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | McAllen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 85.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,453 in McAllen | $109,346 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/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 | $50,140 | $35,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | McAllen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 55.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 85.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.3%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
98 Strong offer
McAllen, TX → Cleveland, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; McAllen, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to McAllen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | McAllen, TX | Real change, Cleveland → McAllen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,722 | +4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,678 | +4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,508 | +4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,437 | +4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $125,776 | +4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | McAllen, TX | McAllen pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $63,110 | $69,008 (−9.8%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $116,120 | $126,973 (+14.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $64,470 | $70,496 (−11.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $80,540 | $88,068 (+4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.