City comparison
San Luis Obispo, CA vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Luis Obispo, CA are 8.8% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $108,800 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 $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 31% of take-home pay in San Luis Obispo, CA and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,145 a year higher in San Luis Obispo, CA than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.1% moving from San Luis Obispo, CA to Waterbury, CT ($124,085 → $125,431), while prices change by −8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.0% in real buying power.
- San Luis Obispo, CA: price level 108.6 (much pricier)
- Waterbury, CT: price level 99.8 (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 | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.6 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,880 in Waterbury | $108,838 in San Luis Obispo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,914/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 31% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,770 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Luis Obispo | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 144.4 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 147.8 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 108.6 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Luis Obispo, CA → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,145/yr.
96 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → San Luis Obispo, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 31% of take-home; state tax +$1,145/yr.
34 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Luis Obispo, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from San Luis Obispo, CA to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Waterbury, CT | Real change, San Luis Obispo → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $72,737 | +10.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $88,005 | +10.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $105,481 | +10.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $125,431 | +10.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $148,222 | +10.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in San Luis Obispo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,620 | $79,640 | $86,678 (−11.2%) |
| Software Developers | $135,020 | $131,290 | $142,893 (+5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,160 | $93,010 | $101,230 (+14.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $138,820 | $101,690 | $110,677 (−20.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.