City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 13.0% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $113,000 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $568 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Ann Arbor, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.1% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Columbus, GA ($117,402 → $112,556), while prices change by −11.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.3% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (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
| Ann Arbor, MI | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,517 in Columbus | $112,973 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $939/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$568/yr.
100 Strong offer
Columbus, GA → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$568/yr.
38 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Columbus, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Columbus, GA | Real change, Ann Arbor → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $65,271 | +8.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $78,972 | +8.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $94,654 | +8.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $112,556 | +8.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $133,007 | +8.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $105,010 | $102,240 | $115,503 (+10.0%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $116,150 | $131,218 (+3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $73,640 | $83,193 (+3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $82,500 | $93,202 (−9.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.