City comparison
Albany, NY vs Columbus, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 4.3% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $104,300 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,892 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.1% moving from Albany, NY to Columbus, OH ($109,810 → $111,065), while prices change by −4.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.5% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Columbus, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,885 in Columbus | $104,291 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,194/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $51,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Columbus, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 87.9 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,892/yr.
82 Strong offer
Columbus, OH → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$2,892/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Columbus, OH is in Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Columbus, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Columbus, OH | Real change, Albany → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $64,406 | +5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $77,926 | +5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $93,400 | +5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $111,065 | +5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $131,245 | +5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Columbus, OH | Columbus pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $78,150 | $81,504 (+2.9%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $122,340 | $127,590 (−0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $81,700 | $85,206 (+0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $83,900 | $87,501 (−12.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.