City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 9.5% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $109,500 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,164 in Columbia, SC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 19% in Columbia, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,773 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Columbia, SC to Philadelphia, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +9.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,494 in Philadelphia | $91,329 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,773/yr.
42 Weak offer
Philadelphia, PA → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,773/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Columbia → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $78,570 | $71,758 (+19.5%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $133,040 | $121,505 (−1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $85,990 | $78,534 (+13.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $101,180 | $92,407 (+12.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.