City comparison
San Luis Obispo, CA vs Spokane, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Luis Obispo, CA are 8.2% higher than in Spokane, WA. Someone earning $100,000 in Spokane, WA would need about $108,200 in San Luis Obispo, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,914 a month in San Luis Obispo, CA versus $1,193 in Spokane, WA. On $100,000, that's 31% of take-home pay in San Luis Obispo, CA and 18% in Spokane, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in San Luis Obispo, CA than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −13.8% moving from San Luis Obispo, CA to Spokane, WA ($124,085 → $106,991), while prices change by −7.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.7% in real buying power.
- San Luis Obispo, CA: price level 108.6 (much pricier)
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| San Luis Obispo, CA | Spokane, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.6 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,403 in Spokane | $108,222 in San Luis Obispo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,914/mo | $1,193/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 31% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,770 | $54,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID |
Rent areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA and Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Luis Obispo | Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 144.4 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 147.8 | 91.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 108.6 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Luis Obispo, CA → Spokane, WA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
94 Strong offer
Spokane, WA → San Luis Obispo, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 31% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
36 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Luis Obispo, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Spokane, WA is in Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID. The last column shows what a transfer from San Luis Obispo, CA to Spokane, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Spokane, WA | Real change, San Luis Obispo → Spokane |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $62,044 | −6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $75,068 | −6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $89,974 | −6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $106,991 | −6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $126,432 | −6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Spokane, WA | Spokane pay in San Luis Obispo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,620 | $98,800 | $106,923 (+9.5%) |
| Software Developers | $135,020 | $130,690 | $141,435 (+4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,160 | $86,350 | $93,449 (+6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $138,820 | $111,750 | $120,938 (−12.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.