City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 1.5% higher than in Gainesville, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Gainesville, FL would need about $101,500 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL and $1,265 in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,534 a year higher in Provo, UT than in Gainesville, FL.
- 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 Gainesville, FL to Provo, UT changes real buying power by −1.5%, purely from prices.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Gainesville, FL | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,550 in Provo | $98,474 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Provo, UT
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,534/yr.
64 Fair offer
Provo, UT → Gainesville, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,534/yr.
74 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 Gainesville, FL to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Provo, UT | Real change, Gainesville → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $62,930 | $61,970 (+9.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $131,210 | $129,208 (+5.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $75,700 | $74,545 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $81,780 | $80,532 (−1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.