City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 4.9% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $104,900 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $1,164 in Columbia, SC. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 19% in Columbia, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,309 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Provo, UT.
- 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 Provo, UT changes real buying power by −4.7%, purely from prices.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,879 in Provo | $95,348 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,309/yr.
54 Fair offer
Provo, UT → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,309/yr.
84 Strong 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 Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Provo, UT | Real change, Columbia → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $62,930 | $60,002 (−0.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $131,210 | $125,106 (+1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $75,700 | $72,178 (+4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $81,780 | $77,975 (−4.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.