City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Columbia, SC (93.7) and Tallahassee, FL (93.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbia, SC goes as far as $100,300 in Tallahassee, FL.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC and $1,204 in Tallahassee, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Tallahassee, 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 Tallahassee, FL changes real buying power by −0.3%, purely from prices.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,274 in Tallahassee | $99,726 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,204/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 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Tallahassee, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
68 Fair offer
Tallahassee, FL → Columbia, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
70 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 Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Columbia → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $55,020 | $54,869 (−8.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $121,800 | $121,467 (−1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $61,840 | $61,671 (−10.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $79,430 | $79,213 (−3.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.