City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Columbia, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 11.6% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $111,600 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $1,164 in Columbia, SC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 19% in Columbia, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $457 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Baltimore, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Baltimore, MD to Columbia, SC ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.5% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- 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
| Baltimore, MD | Columbia, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 93.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,640 in Columbia | $111,558 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,164/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $46,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Columbia, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 79.5 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 93.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$457/yr.
100 Strong offer
Columbia, SC → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$457/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Columbia, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Columbia, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Columbia, SC | Real change, Baltimore → Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | −2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | −2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | −2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | −2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | −2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Columbia, SC | Columbia pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $60,050 | $66,990 (−12.3%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $123,380 | $137,640 (−0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $69,210 | $77,209 (−9.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $81,920 | $91,388 (−8.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.