City comparison
Orlando, FL vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Orlando, FL are 4.5% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $104,500 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 $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Orlando, FL and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Orlando, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.7% moving from Orlando, FL to Rochester, NY ($106,437 → $107,182), while prices change by −4.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.2% in real buying power.
- Orlando, FL: price level 101.4 (about average)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Orlando, FL | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.4 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,678 in Rochester | $104,517 in Orlando |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,731/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,630 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Orlando | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.4 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 87.2 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 101.4 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Orlando, FL → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
83 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Orlando, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Orlando, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Orlando, FL to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Orlando, FL | Rochester, NY | Real change, Orlando → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,155 | +5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,202 | +5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,135 | +5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,182 | +5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,657 | +5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Orlando, FL | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Orlando dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,190 | $62,840 | $65,678 (+9.1%) |
| Software Developers | $129,620 | $122,770 | $128,315 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,630 | $80,890 | $84,544 (+7.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,550 | $86,570 | $90,480 (+8.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.