City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Richmond, VA are 4.5% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $104,500 in Richmond, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,164 in Columbia, SC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 19% in Columbia, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $4,936 in VA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.5% moving from Columbia, SC to Richmond, VA ($106,437 → $111,183), while prices change by +4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.0% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,480 in Richmond | $95,712 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Richmond, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$93/yr.
55 Fair offer
Richmond, VA → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$93/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Richmond, VA | Real change, Columbia → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,475 | −0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,009 | −0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,499 | −0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,183 | −0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,385 | −0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $61,290 | $58,662 (−2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $132,120 | $126,455 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $84,220 | $80,609 (+16.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $93,580 | $89,567 (+9.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.