City comparison
Pensacola, FL vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Pensacola, FL (97.7) and Provo, UT (98.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Pensacola, FL goes as far as $100,500 in Provo, UT.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,257 a month in Pensacola, FL and $1,265 in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,534 a year higher in Provo, UT than in Pensacola, 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 Pensacola, FL to Provo, UT changes real buying power by −0.5%, purely from prices.
- Pensacola, FL: price level 97.7 (cheaper)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Pensacola, FL | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.7 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,527 in Provo | $99,476 in Pensacola |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,257/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,240 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL MSA and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pensacola | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.8 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.5 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 97.7 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pensacola, FL → Provo, UT
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,534/yr.
67 Fair offer
Provo, UT → Pensacola, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,534/yr.
70 Strong 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 Pensacola, FL to Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pensacola, FL | Provo, UT | Real change, Pensacola → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pensacola, FL | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Pensacola dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,360 | $62,930 | $62,600 (+24.3%) |
| Software Developers | $108,430 | $131,210 | $130,522 (+20.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,410 | $75,700 | $75,303 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,890 | $81,780 | $81,351 (+4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.