City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Eugene, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 6.4% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $106,400 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,286 a month in Eugene, OR versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Eugene, OR and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,953 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Eugene, OR ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by +6.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.9% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Eugene, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 101.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,388 in Eugene | $93,995 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,286/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $49,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Eugene-Springfield, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Eugene |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 98.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 102.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 101.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Eugene, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,953/yr.
50 Fair offer
Eugene, OR → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$5,953/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Eugene, OR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Eugene, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Eugene, OR | Real change, Columbus → Eugene |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | −9.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | −9.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | −9.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | −9.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | −9.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Eugene, OR | Eugene pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $64,260 | $60,401 (−22.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $121,050 | $113,781 (−7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $79,930 | $75,130 (−8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $113,720 | $106,891 (+27.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.