City comparison
Columbus, OH vs New York, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 17.9% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $117,900 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,892 a year higher in New York, NY than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.9% moving from Columbus, OH to New York, NY ($111,065 → $125,431), while prices change by +17.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.2% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | New York, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 112.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,905 in New York | $84,814 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $2,655/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 43% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $61,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 148.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 110.3 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 127.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 105.8 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 112.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.2%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$2,892/yr.
11 Weak offer
New York, NY → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,892/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; New York, NY is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to New York, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | New York, NY | Real change, Columbus → New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $72,737 | −4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $88,005 | −4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $105,481 | −4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $125,431 | −4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $148,222 | −4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | New York, NY | New York pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $96,900 | $82,185 (+5.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $166,830 | $141,495 (+15.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $105,650 | $89,606 (+9.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $119,720 | $101,539 (+21.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.