City comparison
Provo, UT vs Reading, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 1.2% higher than in Reading, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Reading, PA would need about $101,200 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,265 a month in Provo, UT and $1,237 in Reading, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $464 a year higher in Provo, UT than in Reading, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Provo, UT to Reading, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by −1.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.5% in real buying power.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
- Reading, PA: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Provo, UT | Reading, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,807 in Reading | $101,208 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $1,237/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $49,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Reading, PA MSA. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Reading, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 85.4 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 108.2 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Reading, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$464/yr.
73 Strong offer
Reading, PA → Provo, UT
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$464/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Provo, UT is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reading, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Provo, UT to Reading, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Reading, PA | Real change, Provo → Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | +11.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | +11.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | +11.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | +11.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | +11.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Reading, PA | Reading pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $79,860 | $80,824 (+28.4%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $120,920 | $122,380 (−6.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $75,550 | $76,462 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $98,470 | $99,659 (+21.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.