City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Eugene, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 8.4% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $108,400 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,286 a month in Eugene, OR versus $1,164 in Columbia, SC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Eugene, OR and 19% in Columbia, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,077 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Columbia, SC.
- 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 Columbia, SC to Eugene, OR changes real buying power by −7.8%, purely from prices.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Eugene, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 101.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,441 in Eugene | $92,216 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,286/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $49,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Eugene-Springfield, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Eugene |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 98.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 102.5 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 101.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Eugene, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,077/yr.
44 Weak offer
Eugene, OR → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,077/yr.
95 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 Columbia, SC to Eugene, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Eugene, OR | Real change, Columbia → Eugene |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Eugene, OR | Eugene pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $64,260 | $59,258 (−1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $121,050 | $111,628 (−9.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $79,930 | $73,708 (+6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $113,720 | $104,868 (+28.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.