City comparison
Provo, UT vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Provo, UT (98.2) and Raleigh, NC (98.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Provo, UT goes as far as $99,900 in Raleigh, NC.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 20% in Provo, UT.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,534 a year in UT and $3,481 in NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Provo, UT to Raleigh, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by −0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.5% in real buying power.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
- Raleigh, NC: 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
| Provo, UT | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,924 in Raleigh | $100,076 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Raleigh, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$53/yr.
69 Fair offer
Raleigh, NC → Provo, UT
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$53/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Provo, UT is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Provo, UT to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Provo → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | +4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | +4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | +4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | +4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | +4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $60,170 | $60,216 (−4.3%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $132,770 | $132,871 (+1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $81,950 | $82,013 (+8.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $84,830 | $84,895 (+3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.