City comparison
Columbia, SC vs San Diego, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Diego, CA are 19.5% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $119,500 in San Diego, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,459 a month in San Diego, CA versus $1,164 in Columbia, SC. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 19% in Columbia, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.2% moving from Columbia, SC to San Diego, CA ($106,437 → $121,585), while prices change by +19.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.4% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- San Diego, CA: price level 111.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | San Diego, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 111.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $119,458 in San Diego | $83,711 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $2,459/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 40% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $58,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | San Diego |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 179.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 108.0 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 174.2 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 111.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.3%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$228/yr.
15 Weak offer
San Diego, CA → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$228/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; San Diego, CA is in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to San Diego, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | San Diego, CA | Real change, Columbia → San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,507 | −4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,307 | −4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,246 | −4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,585 | −4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,677 | −4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | San Diego, CA | San Diego pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $97,000 | $81,200 (+35.2%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $163,270 | $136,675 (+10.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $96,340 | $80,647 (+16.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $139,520 | $116,794 (+42.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.