City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 3.0% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $103,000 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,148 a month in Omaha, NE versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Omaha, NE and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $600 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.4% moving from Omaha, NE to Pittsburgh, PA ($107,501 → $110,047), while prices change by +3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.6% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Omaha, NE | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,003 in Pittsburgh | $97,085 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$600/yr.
60 Fair offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$600/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Omaha → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $63,815 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $77,211 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $92,543 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $110,047 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $130,042 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $76,550 | $74,318 (+18.6%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $124,500 | $120,870 (−3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $76,940 | $74,697 (−3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $82,370 | $79,969 (−5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.