City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 7.4% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $107,400 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,102 a year higher in Philadelphia, PA than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.6% moving from Columbus, OH to Philadelphia, PA ($111,065 → $117,284), while prices change by +7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.7% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,421 in Philadelphia | $93,091 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,102/yr.
47 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,102/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Columbus → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $68,013 | −1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $82,289 | −1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $98,630 | −1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $117,284 | −1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $138,595 | −1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $78,570 | $73,142 (−6.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $133,040 | $123,849 (+1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $85,990 | $80,049 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $101,180 | $94,190 (+12.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.