City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Fayetteville, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbia, SC are 1.8% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $101,800 in Columbia, SC to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC and $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,362 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Fayetteville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Columbia, SC to Fayetteville, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by −1.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.3% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Fayetteville, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,202 in Fayetteville | $101,831 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,113/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $45,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Fayetteville, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 73.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Fayetteville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,362/yr.
74 Strong offer
Fayetteville, NC → Columbia, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,362/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Fayetteville, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Fayetteville, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Fayetteville, NC | Real change, Columbia → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | +6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | +6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | +6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | +6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | +6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Fayetteville, NC | Fayetteville pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $54,350 | $55,345 (−7.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $122,900 | $125,150 (+1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $78,560 | $79,998 (+15.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $83,060 | $84,581 (+3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.