City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbia, SC are 4.9% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $104,900 in Columbia, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $276 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Columbus, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.7% moving from Columbia, SC to Columbus, GA ($106,437 → $112,556), while prices change by −4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.9% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (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
| Columbia, SC | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,339 in Columbus | $104,889 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $939/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$276/yr.
84 Strong offer
Columbus, GA → Columbia, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$276/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Columbus, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Columbus, GA | Real change, Columbia → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $65,271 | +10.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,972 | +10.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $94,654 | +10.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $112,556 | +10.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $133,007 | +10.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $61,360 | $64,360 (+7.2%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $116,150 | $121,829 (−1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $73,640 | $77,241 (+11.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $82,500 | $86,534 (+5.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.