City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 10.4% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $110,400 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,953 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.3% moving from Columbus, OH to Portland, OR ($111,065 → $114,684), while prices change by +10.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.5% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,424 in Portland | $90,560 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$5,953/yr.
34 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$5,953/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Portland, OR | Real change, Columbus → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $66,505 | −6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $80,465 | −6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $96,443 | −6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $114,684 | −6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $135,522 | −6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $82,330 | $74,558 (−4.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $156,000 | $141,273 (+15.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $92,200 | $83,496 (+2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $130,310 | $118,008 (+40.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.