City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 9.1% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $109,100 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $779 a year higher in Pittsburgh, PA than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.2% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Pittsburgh, PA ($111,338 → $110,047), while prices change by −8.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.9% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Phoenix, AZ | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,632 in Pittsburgh | $109,132 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$779/yr.
97 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$779/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Phoenix → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $63,815 | +7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $77,211 | +7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $92,543 | +7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $110,047 | +7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $130,042 | +7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $76,550 | $83,540 (+41.2%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $124,500 | $135,869 (+3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $76,940 | $83,966 (+3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $82,370 | $89,892 (−10.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.