City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 10.7% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $110,700 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,207 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.2% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Pittsburgh, PA ($116,038 → $110,047), while prices change by −9.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.0% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Minneapolis, MN | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,316 in Pittsburgh | $110,722 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,207/yr.
100 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$2,207/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Minneapolis → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $63,815 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $77,211 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $92,543 | +5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $110,047 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $130,042 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $76,550 | $84,758 (+6.3%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $124,500 | $137,849 (+5.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $76,940 | $85,190 (−1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $82,370 | $91,202 (−11.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.