City comparison
Richmond, VA vs Riverside, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Riverside, CA are 8.8% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $108,800 in Riverside, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,777 a month in Riverside, CA versus $1,507 in Richmond, VA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Riverside, CA and 24% in Richmond, VA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,936 a year in VA and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.6% moving from Richmond, VA to Riverside, CA ($111,183 → $124,085), while prices change by +8.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.6% in real buying power.
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Richmond, VA | Riverside, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.9 | 106.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,772 in Riverside | $91,936 in Richmond |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,777/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,460 | $48,400 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Richmond, VA | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA. Metro areas: Richmond, VA and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Richmond | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.1 | 129.3 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 101.4 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 101.3 |
| Overall | 97.9 | 106.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Richmond, VA → Riverside, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$135/yr.
38 Weak offer
Riverside, CA → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$135/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Richmond, VA is in the Richmond, VA pay area; Riverside, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Richmond, VA to Riverside, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Richmond, VA | Riverside, CA | Real change, Richmond → Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,475 | $71,957 | +2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,009 | $87,061 | +2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,499 | $104,349 | +2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,183 | $124,085 | +2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,385 | $146,632 | +2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Richmond, VA | Riverside, CA | Riverside pay in Richmond dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,290 | $98,520 | $90,575 (+47.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $133,270 | $122,522 (−7.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,220 | $83,920 | $77,152 (−8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,580 | $133,940 | $123,138 (+31.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.