City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Los Angeles, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 19.0% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $119,000 in Los Angeles, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,085 a month in Los Angeles, CA versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 34% of take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in Los Angeles, CA than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.7% moving from Columbus, OH to Los Angeles, CA ($111,065 → $124,085), while prices change by +19.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.1% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Los Angeles, CA: price level 113.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Los Angeles, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 113.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $118,956 in Los Angeles | $84,065 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $2,085/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 34% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $55,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 170.4 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 106.6 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 158.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 113.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Los Angeles, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.9%; rent takes 34% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
24 Weak offer
Los Angeles, CA → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Los Angeles, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Los Angeles, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Los Angeles, CA | Real change, Columbus → Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $71,957 | −6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $87,061 | −6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $104,349 | −6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $124,085 | −6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $146,632 | −6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Los Angeles, CA | Los Angeles pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $101,860 | $85,628 (+9.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $160,920 | $135,277 (+10.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $94,360 | $79,324 (−2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $135,560 | $113,958 (+35.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.