City comparison
Orlando, FL vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Orlando, FL are 9.4% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $109,400 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 $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Orlando, FL and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Utica, 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 Utica, NY changes real buying power by +9.4%, purely from prices.
- Orlando, FL: price level 101.4 (about average)
- Utica, NY: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Orlando, FL | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.4 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,382 in Utica | $109,431 in Orlando |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,731/mo | $926/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% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,630 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Orlando | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.4 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 87.2 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 101.4 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Orlando, FL → Utica, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
98 Strong offer
Utica, NY → Orlando, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
40 Weak 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 Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Orlando, FL | Utica, NY | Real change, Orlando → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +9.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +9.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +9.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +9.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +9.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Orlando, FL | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Orlando dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,190 | $77,010 | $84,272 (+40.0%) |
| Software Developers | $129,620 | $113,390 | $124,083 (−4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,630 | $79,830 | $87,358 (+11.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,550 | $94,300 | $103,193 (+23.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.