City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Killeen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbia, SC are 2.8% higher than in Killeen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Killeen, TX would need about $102,800 in Columbia, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC versus $990 in Killeen, TX. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 15% in Killeen, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Killeen, TX.
- 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 Killeen, TX changes real buying power by +2.8%, purely from prices.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Killeen, TX: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Killeen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,299 in Killeen | $102,776 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $990/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $46,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Killeen-Temple, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Killeen-Temple, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Killeen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Killeen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
77 Strong offer
Killeen, TX → Columbia, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
60 Fair 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 Killeen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Killeen, TX | Real change, Columbia → Killeen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Killeen, TX | Killeen pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $63,120 | $64,872 (+8.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $123,320 | $126,744 (+2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $73,270 | $75,304 (+8.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $93,440 | $96,034 (+17.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.