City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Columbus, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 4.2% higher than in Birmingham, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Birmingham, AL would need about $104,200 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,155 a month in Birmingham, AL and $1,194 in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,767 a year higher in Birmingham, AL than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.3% moving from Birmingham, AL to Columbus, OH ($107,510 → $111,065), while prices change by +4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.8% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Birmingham, AL | Columbus, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,174 in Columbus | $95,993 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $1,194/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $51,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Columbus, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 87.9 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,767/yr.
56 Fair offer
Columbus, OH → Birmingham, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$2,767/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Columbus, OH is in Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Columbus, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Columbus, OH | Real change, Birmingham → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $64,406 | −0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $77,926 | −0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $93,400 | −0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $111,065 | −0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $131,245 | −0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Columbus, OH | Columbus pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $78,150 | $75,019 (+19.8%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $122,340 | $117,438 (−6.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $81,700 | $78,427 (−0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $83,900 | $80,539 (+2.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.