City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Riverside, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Riverside, CA are 4.8% higher than in Eugene, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Eugene, OR would need about $104,800 in Riverside, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,777 a month in Riverside, CA versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Riverside, CA and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,850 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Riverside, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Eugene, OR to Riverside, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.2% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Eugene, OR | Riverside, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 106.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,799 in Riverside | $95,421 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $1,777/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $48,400 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 129.3 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 101.4 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 101.3 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 106.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Riverside, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$2,850/yr.
49 Fair offer
Riverside, CA → Eugene, OR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,850/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Riverside, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Eugene, OR to Riverside, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Riverside, CA | Real change, Eugene → Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | +11.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | +11.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | +11.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | +11.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | +11.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Riverside, CA | Riverside pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $98,520 | $94,009 (+46.3%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $133,270 | $127,168 (+5.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $83,920 | $80,077 (+0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $133,940 | $127,807 (+12.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.