City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 17.0% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $117,000 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,386 a year in MD and $4,567 in GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.6% moving from Baltimore, MD to Columbus, GA ($121,785 → $112,556), while prices change by −14.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.1% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (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
| Baltimore, MD | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,461 in Columbus | $117,012 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $939/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$181/yr.
100 Strong offer
Columbus, GA → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$181/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Columbus, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Columbus, GA | Real change, Baltimore → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $65,271 | +8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $78,972 | +8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $94,654 | +8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $112,556 | +8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $133,007 | +8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $61,360 | $71,799 (−6.0%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $116,150 | $135,909 (−2.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $73,640 | $86,168 (+1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $82,500 | $96,535 (−3.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.