City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 10.0% higher than in Tallahassee, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tallahassee, FL would need about $110,000 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 $1,204 in Tallahassee, FL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 18% in Tallahassee, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Phoenix, AZ than in Tallahassee, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Tallahassee, FL ($111,338 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.2% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Phoenix, AZ | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,905 in Tallahassee | $110,005 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Tallahassee, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tallahassee, FL → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Tallahassee, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Phoenix → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $61,722 | +5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $74,678 | +5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $89,508 | +5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $106,437 | +5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $125,776 | +5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $55,020 | $60,525 (+2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $121,800 | $133,987 (+1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $61,840 | $68,027 (−15.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $79,430 | $87,377 (−13.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.