City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Columbia, SC (93.7) and Roanoke, VA (93.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbia, SC goes as far as $100,000 in Roanoke, VA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $4,936 in VA.
- 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 Roanoke, VA changes real buying power by +0.0%, purely from prices.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,953 in Roanoke | $100,047 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,053/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Roanoke, VA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$93/yr.
69 Fair offer
Roanoke, VA → Columbia, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$93/yr.
69 Fair 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 Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Columbia → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $62,010 | $62,039 (+3.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $121,110 | $121,167 (−1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $77,240 | $77,276 (+11.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $80,090 | $80,128 (−2.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.