City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 11.4% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $111,400 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,850 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.2% moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Portland, OR ($110,047 → $114,684), while prices change by +11.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.4% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Pittsburgh, PA | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,355 in Portland | $89,803 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.2%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,850/yr.
33 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,850/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | Portland, OR | Real change, Pittsburgh → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $66,505 | −6.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $80,465 | −6.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $96,443 | −6.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $114,684 | −6.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $135,522 | −6.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $82,330 | $73,935 (−3.4%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $156,000 | $140,092 (+12.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $92,200 | $82,798 (+7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $130,310 | $117,022 (+42.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.