City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 3.6% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $103,600 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH and $1,154 in Memphis, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Columbus, OH than in Memphis, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Memphis, TN ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.7% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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, OH | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,554 in Memphis | $103,569 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
80 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Memphis, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Memphis, TN | Real change, Columbus → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $61,510 | $63,705 (−18.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $125,580 | $130,062 (+6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $76,960 | $79,707 (−2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $81,500 | $84,409 (+0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.