City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 11.7% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $111,700 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Sacramento, CA ($111,065 → $117,984), while prices change by +11.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.9% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,733 in Sacramento | $89,499 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.5%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
31 Weak offer
Sacramento, CA → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Columbus → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $68,419 | −4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $82,780 | −4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $99,218 | −4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $117,984 | −4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $139,422 | −4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $103,390 | $92,533 (+18.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $139,640 | $124,977 (+2.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $92,110 | $82,438 (+0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $171,460 | $153,456 (+82.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.