City comparison
Colorado Springs, CO vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Colorado Springs, CO are 12.8% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $112,800 in Colorado Springs, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,464 a month in Colorado Springs, CO versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Colorado Springs, CO and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $876 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Colorado Springs, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.0% moving from Colorado Springs, CO to Columbus, GA ($109,246 → $112,556), while prices change by −11.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.2% in real buying power.
- Colorado Springs, CO: price level 100.7 (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
| Colorado Springs, CO | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.7 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,669 in Columbus | $112,779 in Colorado Springs |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,464/mo | $939/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,710 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Colorado Springs, CO | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Colorado Springs, CO and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Colorado Springs | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.2 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 83.2 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 100.7 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Colorado Springs, CO → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$876/yr.
100 Strong offer
Columbus, GA → Colorado Springs, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$876/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Colorado Springs, CO is in the Colorado Springs, CO pay area; Columbus, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Colorado Springs, CO to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Colorado Springs, CO | Columbus, GA | Real change, Colorado Springs → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,351 | $65,271 | +16.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,650 | $78,972 | +16.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,870 | $94,654 | +16.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,246 | $112,556 | +16.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,096 | $133,007 | +16.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Colorado Springs, CO | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Colorado Springs dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,140 | $61,360 | $69,201 (+13.2%) |
| Software Developers | $134,280 | $116,150 | $130,993 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,000 | $73,640 | $83,050 (−2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,140 | $82,500 | $93,043 (−3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.