City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Gainesville, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gainesville, FL are 3.3% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $103,300 in Gainesville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL versus $1,164 in Columbia, SC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Gainesville, FL and 19% in Columbia, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Gainesville, FL.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Columbia, SC to Gainesville, FL changes real buying power by −3.2%, purely from prices.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Gainesville, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 96.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,279 in Gainesville | $96,825 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,246/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $47,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Gainesville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Gainesville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 93.0 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 88.2 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 96.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Gainesville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
59 Fair offer
Gainesville, FL → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Gainesville, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Gainesville, FL | Real change, Columbia → Gainesville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Gainesville, FL | Gainesville pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $56,430 | $54,639 (−9.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $122,950 | $119,047 (−3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $75,820 | $73,413 (+6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $81,870 | $79,271 (−3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.