City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 16.0% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $116,000 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,805 a year in IL and $4,567 in GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Chicago, IL to Columbus, GA ($118,984 → $112,556), while prices change by −13.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.7% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (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
| Chicago, IL | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,197 in Columbus | $116,013 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $939/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$238/yr.
100 Strong offer
Columbus, GA → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$238/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Columbus, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Columbus, GA | Real change, Chicago → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $65,271 | +9.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $78,972 | +9.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $94,654 | +9.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $112,556 | +9.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $133,007 | +9.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $61,360 | $71,186 (−9.2%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $116,150 | $134,749 (+0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $73,640 | $85,432 (+3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $82,500 | $95,711 (−4.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.