City comparison
Columbia, SC vs New York, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 20.2% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $120,200 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $1,164 in Columbia, SC. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 19% in Columbia, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Columbia, SC to New York, NY ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +20.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.9% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | New York, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 112.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $120,180 in New York | $83,209 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $2,655/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 43% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $61,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 148.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 110.3 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 127.0 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 105.8 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 112.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.8%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$17/yr.
11 Weak offer
New York, NY → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +20.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$17/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; New York, NY is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to New York, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | New York, NY | Real change, Columbia → New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | New York, NY | New York pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $96,900 | $80,629 (+34.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $166,830 | $138,817 (+12.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $105,650 | $87,910 (+27.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $119,720 | $99,617 (+21.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.