City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 18.1% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $118,100 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.5% moving from Anchorage, AK to Columbus, GA ($120,348 → $112,556), while prices change by −15.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.4% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,705 in Columbus | $118,057 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $939/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
100 Strong offer
Columbus, GA → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Columbus, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Columbus, GA | Real change, Anchorage → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $65,271 | +10.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $78,972 | +10.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $94,654 | +10.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $112,556 | +10.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $133,007 | +10.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $61,360 | $72,440 (−8.6%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $116,150 | $137,123 (+31.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $73,640 | $86,937 (+5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $82,500 | $97,397 (−15.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.