City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbia, SC are 6.8% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $106,800 in Columbia, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC versus $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $4,735 in AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Columbia, SC to Tuscaloosa, AL ($106,437 → $107,510), while prices change by −6.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.8% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,658 in Tuscaloosa | $106,771 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$108/yr.
90 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Columbia, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$108/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Columbia → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,344 | +7.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,431 | +7.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,410 | +7.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,510 | +7.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,044 | +7.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $60,220 | $64,298 (+7.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $104,870 | $111,971 (−9.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $71,690 | $76,544 (+10.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $75,250 | $80,345 (−1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.