City comparison
Boston, MA vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 21.2% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $121,200 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,780 a year in MA and $4,567 in GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.6% moving from Boston, MA to Columbus, GA ($120,548 → $112,556), while prices change by −17.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.2% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- 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
| Boston, MA | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $82,478 in Columbus | $121,244 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $939/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$213/yr.
100 Strong offer
Columbus, GA → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.5%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$213/yr.
15 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Columbus, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Columbus, GA | Real change, Boston → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $65,271 | +13.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $78,972 | +13.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $94,654 | +13.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $112,556 | +13.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $133,007 | +13.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $136,550 | $102,240 | $123,960 (−9.2%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $116,150 | $140,825 (−15.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $73,640 | $89,284 (−10.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $82,500 | $100,026 (−5.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.