City comparison
Salt Lake City, UT vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 5.4% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $105,400 in Salt Lake City, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,456 a month in Salt Lake City, UT versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Salt Lake City, 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 Salt Lake City, 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 Salt Lake City, UT to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by +5.4%, purely from prices.
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (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
| Salt Lake City, UT | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,918 in Syracuse | $105,354 in Salt Lake City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,456/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 | 23% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,240 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Salt Lake City-Murray, UT and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salt Lake City | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.3 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 79.0 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salt Lake City, UT → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,326/yr.
85 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Salt Lake City, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,326/yr.
53 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 Salt Lake City, UT to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salt Lake City, UT | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Salt Lake City → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salt Lake City, UT | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Salt Lake City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,920 | $78,560 | $82,766 (+6.2%) |
| Software Developers | $129,600 | $129,100 | $136,012 (+4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,100 | $82,230 | $86,633 (+5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $85,890 | $86,960 | $91,616 (+6.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.