City comparison
Lexington, KY vs Orlando, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Orlando, FL are 9.2% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $109,200 in Orlando, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,731 a month in Orlando, FL versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Orlando, FL and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,382 a year higher in Lexington, KY than in Orlando, 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 Lexington, KY to Orlando, FL changes real buying power by −8.4%, purely from prices.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- Orlando, FL: price level 101.4 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | Orlando, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 101.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,182 in Orlando | $91,590 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $1,731/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $46,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | Orlando |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 123.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 87.2 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 101.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → Orlando, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,382/yr.
41 Weak offer
Orlando, FL → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,382/yr.
97 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 Lexington, KY to Orlando, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | Orlando, FL | Real change, Lexington → Orlando |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −8.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −8.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −8.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −8.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −8.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | Orlando, FL | Orlando pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $60,190 | $55,128 (−10.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $129,620 | $118,719 (−3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $78,630 | $72,017 (−7.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $83,550 | $76,524 (−3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.