City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 7.2% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $107,200 in Indianapolis, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,647 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.6% moving from Columbus, GA to Indianapolis, IN ($112,556 → $107,428), while prices change by +7.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.9% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, GA | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,167 in Indianapolis | $93,312 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,647/yr.
48 Fair offer
Indianapolis, IN → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,647/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Columbus → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $62,297 | −10.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $75,374 | −10.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $90,341 | −10.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $107,428 | −10.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $126,947 | −10.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $60,510 | $56,463 (−8.0%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $106,870 | $99,723 (−14.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $79,290 | $73,987 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $84,230 | $78,597 (−4.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.