City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Merced, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Merced, CA are 4.9% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $104,900 in Merced, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC and $1,213 in Merced, CA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Columbia, SC to Merced, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +19.1% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Merced, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,925 in Merced | $95,306 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,213/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $47,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Merced, CA MSA. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Merced, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Merced |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Merced, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$228/yr.
54 Fair offer
Merced, CA → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$228/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Merced, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Merced, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Merced, CA | Real change, Columbia → Merced |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +19.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +19.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +19.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +19.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +19.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Merced, CA | Merced pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $100,120 | $95,420 (+58.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $132,120 | $125,918 (+2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $80,420 | $76,645 (+10.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $131,620 | $125,442 (+53.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.