City comparison
Eugene, OR vs San Luis Obispo, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Luis Obispo, CA are 6.9% higher than in Eugene, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Eugene, OR would need about $106,900 in San Luis Obispo, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,914 a month in San Luis Obispo, CA versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 31% of take-home pay in San Luis Obispo, 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 San Luis Obispo, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Eugene, OR to San Luis Obispo, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +6.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.0% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
- San Luis Obispo, CA: price level 108.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Eugene, OR | San Luis Obispo, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 108.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,920 in San Luis Obispo | $93,528 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $1,914/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% | 31% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $50,770 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | San Luis Obispo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 144.4 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 147.8 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 108.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → San Luis Obispo, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 31% of take-home; state tax −$2,850/yr.
40 Weak offer
San Luis Obispo, CA → Eugene, OR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,850/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; San Luis Obispo, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Eugene, OR to San Luis Obispo, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | San Luis Obispo, CA | Real change, Eugene → San Luis Obispo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | +9.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | +9.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | +9.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | +9.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | +9.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | San Luis Obispo, CA | San Luis Obispo pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $97,620 | $91,302 (+42.1%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $135,020 | $126,282 (+4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $88,160 | $82,455 (+3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $138,820 | $129,836 (+14.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.