City comparison
Orlando, FL vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 2.2% higher than in Orlando, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Orlando, FL would need about $102,200 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,731 a month in Orlando, FL versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Orlando, FL and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Orlando, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Orlando, FL to Salem, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.4% in real buying power.
- Orlando, FL: price level 101.4 (about average)
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Orlando, FL | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.4 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,200 in Salem | $97,848 in Orlando |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,731/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,630 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Orlando | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.4 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 87.2 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 101.4 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Orlando, FL → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
62 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Orlando, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Orlando, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Orlando, FL to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Orlando, FL | Salem, OR | Real change, Orlando → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | +5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | +5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | +5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | +5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | +5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Orlando, FL | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Orlando dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,190 | $74,810 | $73,200 (+21.6%) |
| Software Developers | $129,620 | $131,620 | $128,787 (−0.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,630 | $87,480 | $85,597 (+8.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,550 | $131,750 | $128,914 (+54.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.