City comparison
El Paso, TX vs Eugene, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 13.0% higher than in El Paso, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in El Paso, TX would need about $113,000 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,286 a month in Eugene, OR versus $1,013 in El Paso, TX. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Eugene, OR and 15% in El Paso, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in El Paso, TX.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from El Paso, TX to Eugene, OR changes real buying power by −11.5%, purely from prices.
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (much cheaper)
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| El Paso, TX | Eugene, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.9 | 101.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,964 in Eugene | $88,524 in El Paso |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,013/mo | $1,286/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $39,510 | $49,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA. Metro areas: El Paso, TX and Eugene-Springfield, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | El Paso | Eugene |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.2 | 98.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 82.6 | 102.5 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 89.9 | 101.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
El Paso, TX → Eugene, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
38 Weak offer
Eugene, OR → El Paso, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from El Paso, TX to Eugene, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | El Paso, TX | Eugene, OR | Real change, El Paso → Eugene |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −11.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −11.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −11.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −11.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −11.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | El Paso, TX | Eugene, OR | Eugene pay in El Paso dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,800 | $64,260 | $56,885 (−10.8%) |
| Software Developers | $127,310 | $121,050 | $107,158 (−15.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,990 | $79,930 | $70,757 (+7.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,100 | $113,720 | $100,669 (+16.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.