City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 12.1% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $112,100 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- Both are in GA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $4,567 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $112,556 in either. A transfer from Atlanta, GA to Columbus, GA changes real buying power by +12.1%, purely from prices.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (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
| Atlanta, GA | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,244 in Columbus | $112,052 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $939/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Columbus, GA → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.8%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
35 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Columbus, GA | Real change, Atlanta → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $65,271 | +12.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $78,972 | +12.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $94,654 | +12.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $112,556 | +12.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $133,007 | +12.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $61,360 | $68,755 (−10.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $116,150 | $130,148 (−2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $73,640 | $82,515 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $82,500 | $92,443 (−8.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.