City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 13.1% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $113,100 in Charleston, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $276 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Columbus, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.7% moving from Charleston, SC to Columbus, GA ($106,437 → $112,556), while prices change by −11.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +19.6% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- 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
| Charleston, SC | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,445 in Columbus | $113,064 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $939/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$276/yr.
100 Strong offer
Columbus, GA → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$276/yr.
36 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Columbus, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Columbus, GA | Real change, Charleston → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $65,271 | +19.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,972 | +19.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $94,654 | +19.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $112,556 | +19.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $133,007 | +19.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $61,360 | $69,376 (+13.7%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $116,150 | $131,324 (−0.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $73,640 | $83,261 (+4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $82,500 | $93,278 (+0.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.