City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Columbus, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 5.8% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $105,800 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 $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,875 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.3% moving from Charleston, SC to Columbus, OH ($106,437 → $111,065), while prices change by −5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.4% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- 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
| Charleston, SC | Columbus, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,559 in Columbus | $105,754 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,194/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $51,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Columbus, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 87.9 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,875/yr.
87 Strong offer
Columbus, OH → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$2,875/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Columbus, OH is in Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Columbus, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Columbus, OH | Real change, Charleston → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,406 | +10.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,926 | +10.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,400 | +10.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,065 | +10.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,245 | +10.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Columbus, OH | Columbus pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $78,150 | $82,647 (+35.4%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $122,340 | $129,379 (−2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $81,700 | $86,401 (+8.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $83,900 | $88,727 (−4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.