City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbia, SC are 4.4% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $104,400 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 $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $4,735 in AL.
- 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 Montgomery, AL changes real buying power by +4.4%, purely from prices.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,751 in Montgomery | $104,438 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$108/yr.
83 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Columbia, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$108/yr.
55 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 Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Columbia → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $59,610 | $62,255 (+3.7%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $110,620 | $115,529 (−6.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $75,040 | $78,370 (+13.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $79,570 | $83,101 (+1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.