City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbia, SC are 1.6% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $101,600 in Columbia, SC to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC and $1,154 in Memphis, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Memphis, TN.
- 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 Memphis, TN changes real buying power by +1.6%, purely from prices.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,417 in Memphis | $101,609 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Memphis, TN
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
74 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Columbia, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
64 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 Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Memphis, TN | Real change, Columbia → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $61,510 | $62,500 (+4.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $125,580 | $127,600 (+3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $76,960 | $78,198 (+13.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $81,500 | $82,811 (+1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.