City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Lafayette, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbia, SC are 7.4% higher than in Lafayette, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lafayette, LA would need about $107,400 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 $898 in Lafayette, LA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 14% in Lafayette, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,229 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Lafayette, LA.
- 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 Lafayette, LA changes real buying power by +7.4%, purely from prices.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Lafayette, LA: price level 87.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Lafayette, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 87.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,110 in Lafayette | $107,399 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $898/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $41,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Lafayette, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Lafayette |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 58.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 71.2 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 87.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Lafayette, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$2,229/yr.
92 Strong offer
Lafayette, LA → Columbia, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$2,229/yr.
47 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 Lafayette, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Lafayette, LA | Real change, Columbia → Lafayette |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +7.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +7.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +7.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +7.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +7.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Lafayette, LA | Lafayette pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $47,770 | $51,305 (−14.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $109,010 | $117,076 (−5.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $67,630 | $72,634 (+4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $81,960 | $88,025 (+7.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.