City comparison
El Paso, TX vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 6.5% higher than in El Paso, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in El Paso, TX would need about $106,500 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,123 a month in Syracuse, NY versus $1,013 in El Paso, TX. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Syracuse, NY and 15% in El Paso, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Syracuse, NY 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 Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by −6.1%, purely from prices.
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (much cheaper)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| El Paso, TX | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.9 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,484 in Syracuse | $93,911 in El Paso |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,013/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $39,510 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: El Paso, TX and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | El Paso | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.2 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 82.6 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 89.9 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
El Paso, TX → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
50 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → El Paso, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
89 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 Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | El Paso, TX | Syracuse, NY | Real change, El Paso → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | El Paso, TX | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in El Paso dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,800 | $78,560 | $73,776 (+15.6%) |
| Software Developers | $127,310 | $129,100 | $121,239 (−4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,990 | $82,230 | $77,223 (+17.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,100 | $86,960 | $81,665 (−5.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.