Is it cheaper to live in Omaha or Pittsburgh?

Omaha, NE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,130 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 13% below Pittsburgh, PA's $1,300, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Omaha than in Pittsburgh?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Omaha versus $43,000 in Pittsburgh.

Which has lower taxes, Omaha or Pittsburgh?

Omaha is taxed under Nebraska's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax); Pittsburgh under Pennsylvania's (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax).

Omaha vs Pittsburgh Cost of Living 2026

Omaha

Nebraska

$1,130/mo est.

Pittsburgh

Pennsylvania

$1,300/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,130 in Omaha, NE versus $1,300 in Pittsburgh, PA. Overall, Omaha, NE is roughly 13% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Pittsburgh, PA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $72,708 in Omaha, NE and $64,137 in Pittsburgh, PA — about 12% higher in Omaha, NE. Nebraska has a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax; Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax.

Omaha, NE

Pittsburgh, PA

Rent

Studio

$908

$1,109

+22% in Pittsburgh, PA

1 Bedroom

$984

$1,079

+10% in Pittsburgh, PA

2 Bedroom

$1,193

$1,269

+6% in Pittsburgh, PA

3 Bedroom

$1,437

$1,450

+1% in Pittsburgh, PA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$230,100

$193,200

+16% in Omaha, NE

Income

Median Household Income

$72,708

$64,137

+12% in Omaha, NE

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,660

$49,650

+0% in Omaha, NE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.3 yr

33.5 yr

+1.8 yr in Omaha, NE

Homeownership

57.7%

47.2%

+10.5 pp in Omaha, NE

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.3%

47.8%

+7.5 pp in Pittsburgh, PA

Avg Commute

19.6 min

23.1 min

+3.5 min in Pittsburgh, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

359

436

+21% in Pittsburgh, PA

Property Crime

3,153.5

2,315.7

+27% in Omaha, NE

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

51.1°F

51.8°F

+0.7°F in Pittsburgh, PA

Annual Precipitation

30.6 in

39.3 in

+8.7 in in Pittsburgh, PA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.86/gal

+2% in Omaha, NE

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

—

Adult base one-way fare — Metro Transit (Omaha) vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.6

21.6

+59% in Pittsburgh, PA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$15.53

$19.17

+23% in Pittsburgh, PA

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$1.92

+16% in Pittsburgh, PA

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Omaha, NE

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$6.90

+2% in Pittsburgh, PA

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.19

+4% in Pittsburgh, PA

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.69

+12% in Pittsburgh, PA

Average prices — Midwest vs Northeast (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NE / PA)

5.5%

+0.5 pp in PA

Income Tax (top rate)

4.55%

3.07%

+1.5 pp in NE

Omaha vs Pittsburgh — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Omaha or Pittsburgh?: Omaha, NE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,130 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 13% below Pittsburgh, PA's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Omaha than in Pittsburgh?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Omaha versus $43,000 in Pittsburgh.
Which has lower taxes, Omaha or Pittsburgh?: Omaha is taxed under Nebraska's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax); Pittsburgh under Pennsylvania's (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).