City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Lafayette, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, GA are 2.4% higher than in Lafayette, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lafayette, LA would need about $102,400 in Columbus, GA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $939 a month in Columbus, GA and $898 in Lafayette, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,953 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Lafayette, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Columbus, GA to Lafayette, LA ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.2% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
- Lafayette, LA: price level 87.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, GA | Lafayette, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 87.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,663 in Lafayette | $102,393 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $898/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $41,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Lafayette, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Lafayette |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 58.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 71.2 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 87.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Lafayette, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,953/yr.
76 Strong offer
Lafayette, LA → Columbus, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,953/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Lafayette, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Lafayette, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Lafayette, LA | Real change, Columbus → Lafayette |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | −3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | −3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | −3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | −3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | −3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Lafayette, LA | Lafayette pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $47,770 | $48,913 (−20.3%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $109,010 | $111,619 (−3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $67,630 | $69,248 (−6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $81,960 | $83,921 (+1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.