City comparison
Pensacola, FL vs Santa Rosa, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Rosa, CA are 10.3% higher than in Pensacola, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Pensacola, FL would need about $110,300 in Santa Rosa, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,155 a month in Santa Rosa, CA versus $1,257 in Pensacola, FL. On $100,000, that's 35% of take-home pay in Santa Rosa, CA and 19% in Pensacola, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Santa Rosa, CA than in Pensacola, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Pensacola, FL to Santa Rosa, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +10.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.3% in real buying power.
- Pensacola, FL: price level 97.7 (cheaper)
- Santa Rosa, CA: price level 107.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Pensacola, FL | Santa Rosa, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.7 | 107.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,302 in Santa Rosa | $90,660 in Pensacola |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,257/mo | $2,155/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 35% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,240 | $56,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL MSA and Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA MSA. Metro areas: Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL and Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pensacola | Santa Rosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.8 | 139.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 88.5 | 154.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.7 | 107.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pensacola, FL → Santa Rosa, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.3%; rent takes 35% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
25 Weak offer
Santa Rosa, CA → Pensacola, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pensacola, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Santa Rosa, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Pensacola, FL to Santa Rosa, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pensacola, FL | Santa Rosa, CA | Real change, Pensacola → Santa Rosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +13.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +13.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +13.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +13.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +13.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pensacola, FL | Santa Rosa, CA | Santa Rosa pay in Pensacola dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,360 | $99,060 | $89,808 (+78.3%) |
| Software Developers | $108,430 | $148,630 | $134,748 (+24.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,410 | $94,690 | $85,846 (+12.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,890 | $174,550 | $158,247 (+103.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.