City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 5.2% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $105,200 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cleveland, 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 Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.3% moving from Cleveland, OH to Columbus, GA ($111,138 → $112,556), while prices change by −4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.5% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,074 in Columbus | $105,182 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/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 | $50,140 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$2,600/yr.
85 Strong offer
Columbus, GA → Cleveland, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,600/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Columbus, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Columbus, GA | Real change, Cleveland → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $65,271 | +6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $78,972 | +6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $94,654 | +6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $112,556 | +6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $133,007 | +6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $61,360 | $64,539 (−15.6%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $116,150 | $122,168 (+9.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $73,640 | $77,456 (−3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $82,500 | $86,775 (+3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.