City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 3.5% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $103,500 in Milwaukee, WI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC and $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $923 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Milwaukee, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Columbia, SC to Milwaukee, WI ($106,437 → $111,310), while prices change by +3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.0% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,497 in Milwaukee | $96,622 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$923/yr.
58 Fair offer
Milwaukee, WI → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$923/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Columbia → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,548 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,098 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,606 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,310 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,535 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $61,480 | $59,403 (−1.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $123,730 | $119,550 (−3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $80,290 | $77,577 (+12.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $97,360 | $94,071 (+14.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.