City comparison
El Paso, TX vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Memphis, TN are 2.5% higher than in El Paso, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in El Paso, TX would need about $102,500 in Memphis, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN versus $1,013 in El Paso, TX. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Memphis, TN and 15% in El Paso, TX.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in TX and $0 in TN.
- 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 Memphis, TN changes real buying power by −2.5%, purely from prices.
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (much cheaper)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| El Paso, TX | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.9 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,521 in Memphis | $97,541 in El Paso |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,013/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $39,510 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: El Paso, TX and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | El Paso | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.2 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 82.6 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 89.9 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
El Paso, TX → Memphis, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
61 Fair offer
Memphis, TN → El Paso, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
77 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | El Paso, TX | Memphis, TN | Real change, El Paso → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | El Paso, TX | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in El Paso dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $105,770 | $97,370 | $94,975 (−10.2%) |
| Software Developers | $127,310 | $125,580 | $122,492 (−3.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,990 | $76,960 | $75,067 (+13.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,100 | $81,500 | $79,496 (−7.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.