City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Columbia, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 7.7% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $107,700 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,164 in Columbia, SC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 19% in Columbia, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $844 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Ann Arbor, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Columbia, SC ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.4% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Columbia, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 93.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,845 in Columbia | $107,706 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,164/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $46,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Columbia, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 79.5 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 93.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$844/yr.
93 Strong offer
Columbia, SC → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$844/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Columbia, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Columbia, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Columbia, SC | Real change, Ann Arbor → Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | −2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | −2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | −2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | −2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | −2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Columbia, SC | Columbia pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $60,050 | $64,678 (+1.0%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $123,380 | $132,888 (+4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $69,210 | $74,544 (−6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $81,920 | $88,233 (−14.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.