City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 1.1% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $101,100 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,773 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Columbia, SC to Pittsburgh, PA ($106,437 → $110,047), while prices change by +1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.3% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,077 in Pittsburgh | $98,934 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,077/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Pittsburgh, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,773/yr.
65 Fair offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Columbia, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,773/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Columbia → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,815 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,211 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $92,543 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,047 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,042 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $76,550 | $75,734 (+26.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $124,500 | $123,173 (−0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $76,940 | $76,120 (+10.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $82,370 | $81,492 (−0.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.