City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 8.8% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $108,800 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,767 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Tuscaloosa, AL ($111,065 → $107,510), while prices change by −8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.3% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,885 in Tuscaloosa | $108,831 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$2,767/yr.
96 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,767/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Columbus → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $62,344 | +5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $75,431 | +5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $90,410 | +5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $107,510 | +5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $127,044 | +5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $60,220 | $65,538 (−16.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $104,870 | $114,131 (−6.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $71,690 | $78,021 (−4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $75,250 | $81,896 (−2.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.