City comparison
Provo, UT vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 2.8% higher than in Provo, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Provo, UT would need about $102,800 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 20% in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,534 a year higher in Provo, UT than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Provo, UT to Reno, NV ($106,437 → $106,855), while prices change by +2.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.4% in real buying power.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Provo, UT | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,832 in Reno | $97,246 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,534/yr.
60 Fair offer
Reno, NV → Provo, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,534/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Provo, UT is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Provo, UT to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Reno, NV | Real change, Provo → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,965 | −2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,972 | −2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,859 | −2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,855 | −2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,271 | −2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $62,430 | $60,711 (−3.5%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $125,710 | $122,248 (−6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $82,370 | $80,101 (+5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $107,520 | $104,559 (+27.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.