City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Ocala, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ocala, FL are 1.7% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $101,700 in Ocala, FL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC and $1,172 in Ocala, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Ocala, 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 Ocala, FL changes real buying power by −1.7%, purely from prices.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Ocala, FL: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Ocala, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,678 in Ocala | $98,349 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,172/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $43,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Ocala, FL MSA. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Ocala, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Ocala |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 86.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 87.1 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Ocala, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
64 Fair offer
Ocala, FL → Columbia, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
74 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 Ocala, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Ocala, FL | Real change, Columbia → Ocala |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Ocala, FL | Ocala pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $57,540 | $56,590 (−5.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $112,780 | $110,918 (−10.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $74,370 | $73,142 (+5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $79,230 | $77,922 (−4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.