City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Greeley, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greeley, CO are 7.0% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $107,000 in Greeley, CO to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,238 a month in Greeley, CO versus $1,164 in Columbia, SC. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Greeley, CO and 19% in Columbia, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,151 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Greeley, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.5% moving from Columbia, SC to Greeley, CO ($106,437 → $118,675), while prices change by +7.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.2% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Greeley, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,955 in Greeley | $93,497 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,238/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $55,070 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Greeley, CO MSA. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Greeley, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Greeley |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 112.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 82.0 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Greeley, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,151/yr.
48 Fair offer
Greeley, CO → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,151/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Greeley, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Greeley, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Greeley, CO | Real change, Columbia → Greeley |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,819 | +4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,265 | +4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,800 | +4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,675 | +4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,239 | +4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Greeley, CO | Greeley pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $60,160 | $56,248 (−6.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $129,480 | $121,060 (−1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $87,240 | $81,567 (+17.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $96,300 | $90,038 (+9.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.