City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 8.2% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $108,200 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $324 a year higher in Phoenix, AZ than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Phoenix, AZ ($111,065 → $111,338), while prices change by +8.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.4% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,219 in Phoenix | $92,405 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$324/yr.
45 Fair offer
Phoenix, AZ → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$324/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Columbus → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $64,564 | −7.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $78,117 | −7.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $93,629 | −7.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $111,338 | −7.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $131,568 | −7.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $59,180 | $54,685 (−30.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $131,750 | $121,743 (−0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $80,820 | $74,682 (−8.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $100,830 | $93,172 (+11.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.