City comparison
Ocala, FL vs Salinas, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salinas, CA are 14.5% higher than in Ocala, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Ocala, FL would need about $114,500 in Salinas, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,232 a month in Salinas, CA versus $1,172 in Ocala, FL. On $100,000, that's 36% of take-home pay in Salinas, CA and 18% in Ocala, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Salinas, CA than in Ocala, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Ocala, FL to Salinas, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +14.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.2% in real buying power.
- Ocala, FL: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
- Salinas, CA: price level 109.0 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ocala, FL | Salinas, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.2 | 109.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,499 in Salinas | $87,337 in Ocala |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,172/mo | $2,232/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 36% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,990 | $47,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Ocala, FL MSA and Salinas, CA MSA. Metro areas: Ocala, FL and Salinas, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ocala | Salinas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.2 | 145.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 87.1 | 154.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.2 | 109.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ocala, FL → Salinas, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.7%; rent takes 36% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
21 Weak offer
Salinas, CA → Ocala, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ocala, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Salinas, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Ocala, FL to Salinas, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ocala, FL | Salinas, CA | Real change, Ocala → Salinas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +9.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +9.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +9.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +9.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +9.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ocala, FL | Salinas, CA | Salinas pay in Ocala dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,540 | $100,220 | $87,529 (+52.1%) |
| Software Developers | $112,780 | $135,160 | $118,045 (+4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,370 | $83,810 | $73,197 (−1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,230 | $134,910 | $117,826 (+48.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.