City comparison
Albany, NY vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 11.5% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $111,500 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $293 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Columbus, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.5% moving from Albany, NY to Columbus, GA ($109,810 → $112,556), while prices change by −10.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.3% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,685 in Columbus | $111,501 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $939/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$293/yr.
100 Strong offer
Columbus, GA → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$293/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Columbus, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Columbus, GA | Real change, Albany → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $65,271 | +14.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $78,972 | +14.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $94,654 | +14.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $112,556 | +14.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $133,007 | +14.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $61,360 | $68,417 (−13.7%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $116,150 | $129,508 (+1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $73,640 | $82,109 (−3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $82,500 | $91,988 (−8.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.