City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 6.0% higher than in Provo, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Provo, UT would need about $106,000 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA versus $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 20% in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,536 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Provo, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −20.0% moving from Modesto, CA to Provo, UT ($133,060 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −15.2% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
- 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
| Modesto, CA | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,356 in Provo | $105,982 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Provo, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,536/yr.
87 Strong offer
Provo, UT → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,536/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Provo, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Provo, UT | Real change, Modesto → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $61,722 | −15.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $74,678 | −15.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $89,508 | −15.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $106,437 | −15.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $125,776 | −15.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $62,930 | $66,694 (−34.4%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $131,210 | $139,059 (+16.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $75,700 | $80,228 (−4.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $81,780 | $86,672 (−34.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.