City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Modesto, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 9.0% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $109,000 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +19.8% moving from Columbus, OH to Modesto, CA ($111,065 → $133,060), while prices change by +9.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.9% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Modesto, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 104.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,049 in Modesto | $91,702 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,356/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% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $50,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Modesto, CA MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Modesto, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Modesto |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 108.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 152.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 104.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
43 Weak offer
Modesto, CA → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
97 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Modesto, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Modesto, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Modesto, CA | Real change, Columbus → Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $77,161 | +9.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $93,358 | +9.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $111,896 | +9.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $133,060 | +9.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $157,236 | +9.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Modesto, CA | Modesto pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $101,640 | $93,206 (+19.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $119,770 | $109,831 (−10.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $83,560 | $76,626 (−6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $132,590 | $121,588 (+44.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.