City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Des Moines, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbia, SC are 2.1% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $102,100 in Columbia, SC to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC and $1,109 in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,695 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Des Moines, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.8% moving from Columbia, SC to Des Moines, IA ($106,437 → $107,301), while prices change by −2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.0% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Des Moines, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 91.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,906 in Des Moines | $102,138 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,109/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $51,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 84.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 84.6 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 92.9 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 91.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,695/yr.
75 Strong offer
Des Moines, IA → Columbia, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,695/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Des Moines, IA is in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Des Moines, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Des Moines, IA | Real change, Columbia → Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,223 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,284 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,234 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,301 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,797 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Des Moines, IA | Des Moines pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $61,650 | $62,968 (+4.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $126,460 | $129,164 (+4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $79,290 | $80,986 (+17.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $78,630 | $80,311 (−2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.