City comparison
El Paso, TX vs McAllen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in El Paso, TX are 4.7% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $104,700 in El Paso, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,013 a month in El Paso, TX versus $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in El Paso, TX and 13% in McAllen, TX.
- Both are in TX, so estimated state income tax is the same: $0 a year on $100,000.
- 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 McAllen, TX changes real buying power by +4.7%, purely from prices.
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (much 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
| El Paso, TX | McAllen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.9 | 85.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,532 in McAllen | $104,677 in El Paso |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,013/mo | $847/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $39,510 | $35,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA. Metro areas: El Paso, TX and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | El Paso | McAllen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.2 | 55.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 82.6 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 89.9 | 85.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
El Paso, TX → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
83 Strong offer
McAllen, TX → El Paso, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
55 Fair 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 McAllen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | El Paso, TX | McAllen, TX | Real change, El Paso → McAllen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | El Paso, TX | McAllen, TX | McAllen pay in El Paso dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,800 | $63,110 | $66,061 (+3.5%) |
| Software Developers | $127,310 | $116,120 | $121,551 (−4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,990 | $64,470 | $67,485 (+2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,100 | $80,540 | $84,307 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.