City comparison
San Luis Obispo, CA vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Luis Obispo, CA are 13.4% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $113,400 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 $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 31% of take-home pay in San Luis Obispo, CA and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $5,070 a year in CA and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.2% moving from San Luis Obispo, CA to Syracuse, NY ($124,085 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.7% in real buying power.
- San Luis Obispo, CA: price level 108.6 (much pricier)
- 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
| San Luis Obispo, CA | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.6 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,163 in Syracuse | $113,426 in San Luis Obispo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,914/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 31% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,770 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Luis Obispo | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 144.4 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 147.8 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 108.6 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Luis Obispo, CA → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$211/yr.
100 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → San Luis Obispo, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.8%; rent takes 31% of take-home; state tax +$211/yr.
29 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Luis Obispo, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from San Luis Obispo, CA to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Syracuse, NY | Real change, San Luis Obispo → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $61,722 | −2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $74,678 | −2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $89,508 | −2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $106,437 | −2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $125,776 | −2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in San Luis Obispo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,620 | $78,560 | $89,107 (−8.7%) |
| Software Developers | $135,020 | $129,100 | $146,433 (+8.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,160 | $82,230 | $93,270 (+5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $138,820 | $86,960 | $98,635 (−28.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.