City comparison
Reno, NV vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 10.0% higher than in Reno, NV. Someone earning $100,000 in Reno, NV would need about $110,000 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,489 in Reno, NV. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 23% in Reno, NV.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in NV and $0 in WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.0% moving from Reno, NV to Seattle, WA ($106,855 → $119,630), while prices change by +10.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Reno, NV | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,017 in Seattle | $90,895 in Reno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,489/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Reno-Fernley, NV | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Reno, NV and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reno | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.5 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reno, NV → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.1%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
29 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Reno, NV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Reno, NV is in the Reno-Fernley, NV pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Reno, NV to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reno, NV | Seattle, WA | Real change, Reno → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,965 | $69,373 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,972 | $83,935 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,859 | $100,602 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,855 | $119,630 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,271 | $141,367 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reno, NV | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Reno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $98,260 | $161,780 | $147,049 (+49.7%) |
| Software Developers | $125,710 | $167,280 | $152,049 (+21.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,370 | $99,370 | $90,322 (+9.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,520 | $128,260 | $116,582 (+8.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.