City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 7.5% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $107,500 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cleveland, OH than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.9% moving from Cleveland, OH to Reno, NV ($111,138 → $106,855), while prices change by +7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.6% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cleveland, OH | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,550 in Reno | $92,980 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,140 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
47 Fair offer
Reno, NV → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Reno, NV | Real change, Cleveland → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $61,965 | −10.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $74,972 | −10.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $89,859 | −10.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $106,855 | −10.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $126,271 | −10.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $62,430 | $58,048 (−24.1%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $125,710 | $116,885 (+5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $82,370 | $76,588 (−4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $107,520 | $99,972 (+19.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.