City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 9.8% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $109,800 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,309 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.5% moving from Columbus, OH to Minneapolis, MN ($111,065 → $116,038), while prices change by +9.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.8% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,797 in Minneapolis | $91,077 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,309/yr.
41 Weak offer
Minneapolis, MN → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,309/yr.
99 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Columbus → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $67,290 | −4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $81,415 | −4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $97,582 | −4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $116,038 | −4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $137,123 | −4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $79,730 | $72,616 (−7.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $130,920 | $119,238 (−2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $86,500 | $78,782 (−3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $103,040 | $93,846 (+11.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.