City comparison
New York, NY vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 21.2% higher than in South Bend, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in South Bend, IN would need about $121,200 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $1,105 in South Bend, IN. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 17% in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,939 a year higher in New York, NY than in South Bend, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from New York, NY to South Bend, IN ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −17.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.9% in real buying power.
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much pricier)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| New York, NY | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 112.6 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $82,494 in South Bend | $121,221 in New York |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,655/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 43% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,430 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New York | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.6 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 127.0 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 105.8 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 112.6 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New York, NY → South Bend, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,939/yr.
100 Strong offer
South Bend, IN → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.5%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$1,939/yr.
11 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
New York, NY is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; South Bend, IN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from New York, NY to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New York, NY | South Bend, IN | Real change, New York → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | +2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | +2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | +2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | +2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | +2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New York, NY | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in New York dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $96,900 | $58,180 | $70,526 (−27.2%) |
| Software Developers | $166,830 | $95,500 | $115,766 (−30.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $105,650 | $77,940 | $94,479 (−10.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $119,720 | $93,540 | $113,390 (−5.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.