City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 6.8% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $106,800 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cincinnati, OH and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,600 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.5% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Columbus, GA ($110,865 → $112,556), while prices change by −6.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.4% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- 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
| Cincinnati, OH | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,631 in Columbus | $106,802 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $939/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$2,600/yr.
90 Strong offer
Columbus, GA → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,600/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Columbus, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Columbus, GA | Real change, Cincinnati → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $65,271 | +8.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $78,972 | +8.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $94,654 | +8.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $112,556 | +8.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $133,007 | +8.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $61,360 | $65,534 (+1.2%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $116,150 | $124,051 (+2.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $73,640 | $78,649 (−2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $82,500 | $88,112 (+5.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.