City comparison
Augusta, GA vs Columbia, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbia, SC are 1.9% higher than in Augusta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Augusta, GA would need about $101,900 in Columbia, SC to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,114 a month in Augusta, GA and $1,164 in Columbia, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $276 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Augusta, GA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Augusta, GA to Columbia, SC changes real buying power by −1.9%, purely from prices.
- Augusta, GA: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Augusta, GA | Columbia, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 93.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,914 in Columbia | $98,122 in Augusta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,114/mo | $1,164/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,990 | $46,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC and Columbia, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Augusta | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.6 | 79.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 89.5 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 93.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Augusta, GA → Columbia, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$276/yr.
63 Fair offer
Columbia, SC → Augusta, GA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$276/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Augusta, GA to Columbia, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Augusta, GA | Columbia, SC | Real change, Augusta → Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Augusta, GA | Columbia, SC | Columbia pay in Augusta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,000 | $60,050 | $58,922 (−6.5%) |
| Software Developers | $119,780 | $123,380 | $121,063 (+1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,710 | $69,210 | $67,910 (−11.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,760 | $81,920 | $80,382 (−8.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.