City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 8.8% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $108,800 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,164 in Columbia, SC. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 19% in Columbia, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $811 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Columbia, SC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Columbia, SC to Portland, ME ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +8.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.1% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,751 in Portland | $91,954 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$811/yr.
41 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$811/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Portland, ME | Real change, Columbia → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $76,770 | $70,593 (+17.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $128,710 | $118,353 (−4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $79,790 | $73,370 (+6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $88,470 | $81,351 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.