City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Richmond, VA are 5.6% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $105,600 in Richmond, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,117 in Corpus Christi, TX. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 17% in Corpus Christi, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.0% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Richmond, VA ($106,955 → $111,183), while prices change by +5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.6% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Corpus Christi, TX | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,597 in Richmond | $94,699 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Richmond, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
52 Fair offer
Richmond, VA → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Richmond, VA | Real change, Corpus Christi → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $64,475 | −1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $78,009 | −1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $93,499 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $111,183 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $131,385 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $61,290 | $58,041 (−3.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $132,120 | $125,117 (+1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $84,220 | $79,756 (+5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $93,580 | $88,620 (+7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.