City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Columbus, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 10.4% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $110,400 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK and $1,194 in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Columbus, OH than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.7% moving from Anchorage, AK to Columbus, OH ($120,348 → $111,065), while prices change by −9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Columbus, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,561 in Columbus | $110,423 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,194/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $51,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Columbus, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 87.9 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
Columbus, OH → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Columbus, OH is in Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Columbus, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Columbus, OH | Real change, Anchorage → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $64,406 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $77,926 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $93,400 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $111,065 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $131,245 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Columbus, OH | Columbus pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $78,150 | $86,296 (+8.9%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $122,340 | $135,092 (+29.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $81,700 | $90,216 (+9.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $83,900 | $92,645 (−19.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.