City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlantic City, NJ are 10.7% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $110,700 in Atlantic City, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Atlantic City, NJ and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $387 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Atlantic City, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Columbus, GA ($117,284 → $112,556), while prices change by −9.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.2% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (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
| Atlantic City, NJ | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,328 in Columbus | $110,707 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $939/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$387/yr.
100 Strong offer
Columbus, GA → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$387/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Columbus, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Columbus, GA | Real change, Atlantic City → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $65,271 | +6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $78,972 | +6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $94,654 | +6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $112,556 | +6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $133,007 | +6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $61,360 | $67,930 (−15.6%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $116,150 | $128,586 (+1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $73,640 | $81,525 (−1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $82,500 | $91,333 (−8.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.