City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Detroit, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 5.1% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $105,100 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,032 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.7% moving from Columbus, OH to Detroit, MI ($111,065 → $117,402), while prices change by +5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Detroit, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,058 in Detroit | $95,185 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,122/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $52,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Detroit |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 94.7 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 98.8 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.6 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$2,032/yr.
54 Fair offer
Detroit, MI → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,032/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Detroit, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Detroit, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Detroit, MI | Real change, Columbus → Detroit |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $68,081 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $82,372 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $98,729 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $117,402 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $138,734 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Detroit, MI | Detroit pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $65,210 | $62,070 (−20.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $130,760 | $124,464 (+1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $80,650 | $76,767 (−6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $97,280 | $92,596 (+10.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.