City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Columbia, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 1.8% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $101,800 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,875 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Columbia, SC ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.2% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Columbia, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 93.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,209 in Columbia | $101,824 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,164/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $46,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Columbia, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 79.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 93.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Columbia, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$2,875/yr.
74 Strong offer
Columbia, SC → Cincinnati, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,875/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Columbia, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Columbia, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Columbia, SC | Real change, Cincinnati → Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | −2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | −2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | −2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | −2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | −2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Columbia, SC | Columbia pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $60,050 | $61,145 (−5.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $123,380 | $125,630 (+3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $69,210 | $70,472 (−12.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $81,920 | $83,414 (−0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.