City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 10.3% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $110,300 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,164 in Columbia, SC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 19% in Columbia, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,552 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Columbia, SC to Phoenix, AZ ($106,437 → $111,338), while prices change by +10.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.2% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,307 in Phoenix | $90,656 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$2,552/yr.
40 Weak offer
Phoenix, AZ → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$2,552/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Columbia → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,564 | −5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,117 | −5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,629 | −5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,338 | −5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,568 | −5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $59,180 | $53,650 (−10.7%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $131,750 | $119,439 (−3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $80,820 | $73,268 (+5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $100,830 | $91,408 (+11.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.