City comparison
Lexington, KY vs San Francisco, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Francisco, CA are 24.5% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $124,500 in San Francisco, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,977 a month in San Francisco, CA versus $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 48% of take-home pay in San Francisco, CA and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,688 a year higher in San Francisco, CA than in Lexington, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Lexington, KY to San Francisco, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +24.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.4% in real buying power.
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
- San Francisco, CA: price level 115.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Lexington, KY | San Francisco, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 115.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $124,464 in San Francisco | $80,345 in Lexington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,079/mo | $2,977/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 48% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,620 | $74,260 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA and San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lexington-Fayette, KY and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lexington | San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.1 | 194.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 108.5 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 172.6 |
| Other services | 96.9 | 106.2 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 115.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lexington, KY → San Francisco, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −19.7%; rent takes 48% of take-home; state tax +$1,688/yr.
3 Weak offer
San Francisco, CA → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +24.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,688/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lexington, KY is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; San Francisco, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Lexington, KY to San Francisco, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lexington, KY | San Francisco, CA | Real change, Lexington → San Francisco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lexington, KY | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco pay in Lexington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $101,860 | $81,839 (+33.2%) |
| Software Developers | $123,510 | $186,640 | $149,955 (+21.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,780 | $110,730 | $88,966 (+14.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,040 | $186,610 | $149,931 (+89.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.