City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 5.8% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $105,800 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Columbus, OH than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.8% moving from Columbus, OH to Reno, NV ($111,065 → $106,855), while prices change by +5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.1% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,808 in Reno | $94,511 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
52 Fair offer
Reno, NV → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Reno, NV | Real change, Columbus → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,965 | −9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,972 | −9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,859 | −9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,855 | −9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $126,271 | −9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $62,430 | $59,003 (−24.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $125,710 | $118,809 (−2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $82,370 | $77,848 (−4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $107,520 | $101,618 (+21.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.