Diocesan priests are paid a salary (if you could call it that) that is little more than an allowance – spending money, some for retirement, and some for paying taxes and social security (priests are, as far as the government is concerned, self-employed to they pay the full amount of social security). Religious priests are not paid, but they do have access to whatever they need for their living expenses (if they don’t live in community).
The major difference between religious and diocesan priests is that the religious are subject to both their superior and the bishop of the area where they are working while diocesan priests only report to their bishop (and, of course, the pastor of the parish where they are assigned).
Since religious priests take vows of poverty, they give up any money or assets they may have had. Diocesan priests may keep whatever funds or assets they had when they entered the priesthood (they make promises of obedience and celibacy, but not poverty). For example, one of the priests in my diocese is the son of the founder of Carl’s Jr. restaurants. He had some money of his own, and kept that. Several of the priests here own (either outright or shared) cabins in the mountains.
Religious priests can be sent anywhere their group is serving, or could open new areas. Diocesan priests can be assured of being assigned to a place in their diocese – although they can request a transfer to another diocese (either temporary or permanent) and they can be sent out of the area for continuing education.
I hope this helps to address the questions you asked.
Deacon Ed
