City comparison
Orlando, FL vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Orlando, FL are 3.6% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $103,600 in Orlando, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,731 a month in Orlando, FL versus $1,507 in Richmond, VA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Orlando, FL and 24% in Richmond, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Orlando, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.5% moving from Orlando, FL to Richmond, VA ($106,437 → $111,183), while prices change by −3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.3% in real buying power.
- Orlando, FL: price level 101.4 (about average)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Orlando, FL | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.4 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,490 in Richmond | $103,638 in Orlando |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,731/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,630 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Orlando | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.4 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 87.2 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 101.4 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Orlando, FL → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
80 Strong offer
Richmond, VA → Orlando, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Orlando, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Orlando, FL to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Orlando, FL | Richmond, VA | Real change, Orlando → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,475 | +8.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,009 | +8.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,499 | +8.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,183 | +8.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,385 | +8.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Orlando, FL | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Orlando dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,190 | $61,290 | $63,520 (+5.5%) |
| Software Developers | $129,620 | $132,120 | $136,926 (+5.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,630 | $84,220 | $87,284 (+11.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,550 | $93,580 | $96,984 (+16.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.