City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbia, SC are 1.9% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $101,900 in Columbia, SC to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC and $1,148 in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,172 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Columbia, SC to Omaha, NE ($106,437 → $107,501), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.9% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,131 in Omaha | $101,905 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Omaha, NE
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,172/yr.
75 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Columbia, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,172/yr.
63 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Omaha, NE | Real change, Columbia → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,339 | +2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,425 | +2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,402 | +2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,501 | +2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,033 | +2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $101,330 | $95,700 | $97,523 (−3.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $125,220 | $127,606 (+3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $77,030 | $78,498 (+13.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $84,600 | $86,212 (+5.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.