City comparison
Columbia, SC vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Columbia, SC (93.7) and South Bend, IN (92.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbia, SC goes as far as $99,100 in South Bend, IN.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC versus $1,105 in South Bend, IN. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 17% in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,922 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in South Bend, IN.
- 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 South Bend, IN changes real buying power by +0.9%, purely from prices.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,142 in South Bend | $100,866 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → South Bend, IN
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,922/yr.
71 Strong offer
South Bend, IN → Columbia, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,922/yr.
66 Fair 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 South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | South Bend, IN | Real change, Columbia → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $58,180 | $58,684 (−2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $95,500 | $96,327 (−21.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $77,940 | $78,615 (+13.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $93,540 | $94,350 (+15.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.