City comparison
San Luis Obispo, CA vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Luis Obispo, CA are 17.3% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $117,300 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 $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 31% of take-home pay in San Luis Obispo, CA and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in San Luis Obispo, CA than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.2% moving from San Luis Obispo, CA to Waco, TX ($124,085 → $106,437), while prices change by −14.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- San Luis Obispo, CA: price level 108.6 (much pricier)
- Waco, TX: price level 92.5 (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 | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.6 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,224 in Waco | $117,338 in San Luis Obispo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,914/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 31% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,770 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Luis Obispo | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 144.4 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 147.8 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 108.6 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Luis Obispo, CA → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
Waco, TX → San Luis Obispo, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.8%; rent takes 31% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
29 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Luis Obispo, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from San Luis Obispo, CA to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Waco, TX | Real change, San Luis Obispo → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $61,722 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $74,678 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $89,508 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $106,437 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $125,776 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Waco, TX | Waco pay in San Luis Obispo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,620 | $59,100 | $69,347 (−29.0%) |
| Software Developers | $135,020 | $123,080 | $144,419 (+7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,160 | $76,140 | $89,341 (+1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $138,820 | $92,890 | $108,995 (−21.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.