City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Spokane, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Spokane, WA are 7.1% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $107,100 in Spokane, WA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC and $1,193 in Spokane, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.5% moving from Columbia, SC to Spokane, WA ($106,437 → $106,991), while prices change by +7.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.2% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbia, SC | Spokane, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,136 in Spokane | $93,339 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,193/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $54,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 91.2 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Spokane, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
48 Fair offer
Spokane, WA → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Spokane, WA is in Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Spokane, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Spokane, WA | Real change, Columbia → Spokane |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,044 | −6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,068 | −6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,974 | −6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,991 | −6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,432 | −6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Spokane, WA | Spokane pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $98,800 | $92,219 (+53.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $130,690 | $121,985 (−1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $86,350 | $80,598 (+16.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $111,750 | $104,306 (+27.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.