City comparison
Orlando, FL vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Orlando, FL are 5.9% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $105,900 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 $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Orlando, FL and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Orlando, FL.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Orlando, FL to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by +5.9%, purely from prices.
- Orlando, FL: price level 101.4 (about average)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Orlando, FL | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.4 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,403 in Syracuse | $105,928 in Orlando |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,731/mo | $1,123/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,630 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Orlando | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.4 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 87.2 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 101.4 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Orlando, FL → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
87 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Orlando, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Orlando, FL to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Orlando, FL | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Orlando → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Orlando, FL | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Orlando dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,190 | $78,560 | $83,217 (+38.3%) |
| Software Developers | $129,620 | $129,100 | $136,754 (+5.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,630 | $82,230 | $87,105 (+10.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,550 | $86,960 | $92,115 (+10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.