City comparison
Provo, UT vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 2.6% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $102,600 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,326 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Provo, UT.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Provo, UT to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by +2.6%, purely from prices.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Provo, UT | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,465 in Syracuse | $102,601 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,326/yr.
77 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,326/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Provo, UT to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Provo → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $78,560 | $80,603 (+28.1%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $129,100 | $132,458 (+1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $82,230 | $84,369 (+11.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $86,960 | $89,222 (+9.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.