City comparison
Richmond, VA vs Salinas, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salinas, CA are 11.4% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $111,400 in Salinas, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,232 a month in Salinas, CA versus $1,507 in Richmond, VA. On $100,000, that's 36% of take-home pay in Salinas, 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 +19.7% moving from Richmond, VA to Salinas, CA ($111,183 → $133,060), while prices change by +11.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.4% in real buying power.
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
- Salinas, CA: price level 109.0 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Richmond, VA | Salinas, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.9 | 109.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,429 in Salinas | $89,743 in Richmond |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $2,232/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% | 36% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,460 | $47,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Richmond, VA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Salinas, CA MSA. Metro areas: Richmond, VA and Salinas, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Richmond | Salinas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.1 | 145.7 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 154.2 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 97.9 | 109.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Richmond, VA → Salinas, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.3%; rent takes 36% of take-home; state tax +$135/yr.
21 Weak offer
Salinas, CA → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$135/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Richmond, VA is in the Richmond, VA pay area; Salinas, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Richmond, VA to Salinas, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Richmond, VA | Salinas, CA | Real change, Richmond → Salinas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,475 | $77,161 | +7.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,009 | $93,358 | +7.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,499 | $111,896 | +7.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,183 | $133,060 | +7.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,385 | $157,236 | +7.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Richmond, VA | Salinas, CA | Salinas pay in Richmond dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,290 | $100,220 | $89,941 (+46.7%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $135,160 | $121,297 (−8.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,220 | $83,810 | $75,214 (−10.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,580 | $134,910 | $121,073 (+29.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.