City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Gulfport, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbia, SC are 4.1% higher than in Gulfport, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Gulfport, MS would need about $104,100 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 $923 in Gulfport, MS. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 15% in Gulfport, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,575 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Gulfport, MS.
- 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 Gulfport, MS changes real buying power by +4.1%, purely from prices.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Gulfport, MS: price level 90.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Gulfport, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 90.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,097 in Gulfport | $104,062 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $923/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $43,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Gulfport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 67.9 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 76.3 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 90.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Gulfport, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,575/yr.
81 Strong offer
Gulfport, MS → Columbia, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,575/yr.
57 Fair 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 Gulfport, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Gulfport, MS | Real change, Columbia → Gulfport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Gulfport, MS | Gulfport pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $50,820 | $52,884 (−11.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $104,240 | $108,474 (−12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $76,380 | $79,483 (+14.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $78,960 | $82,167 (+0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.