City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Memphis, TN are 3.2% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $103,200 in Memphis, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Memphis, TN and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Columbus, GA to Memphis, TN ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by +3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.4% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, GA | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,229 in Memphis | $96,872 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $46,890 |
| 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 Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Memphis, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
59 Fair offer
Memphis, TN → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Memphis, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Memphis, TN | Real change, Columbus → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | −8.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | −8.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | −8.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | −8.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | −8.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $61,510 | $59,586 (−2.9%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $125,580 | $121,652 (+4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $76,960 | $74,553 (+1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $81,500 | $78,951 (−4.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.