City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Fresno, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 9.1% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $109,100 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $1,164 in Columbia, SC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 19% in Columbia, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.5% moving from Columbia, SC to Fresno, CA ($106,437 → $106,973), while prices change by +9.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.9% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Fresno, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 102.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,071 in Fresno | $91,683 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,355/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $46,910 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Fresno, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Fresno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 95.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 161.0 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 102.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$228/yr.
43 Weak offer
Fresno, CA → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$228/yr.
97 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Fresno, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Fresno, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Fresno, CA | Real change, Columbia → Fresno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,033 | −7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,055 | −7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,959 | −7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,973 | −7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,410 | −7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Fresno, CA | Fresno pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $101,330 | $118,420 | $108,572 (+7.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $129,060 | $118,327 (−4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $78,690 | $72,146 (+4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $125,420 | $114,989 (+40.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.