City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Fresno, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 14.4% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $114,400 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $503 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Columbus, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.0% moving from Columbus, GA to Fresno, CA ($112,556 → $106,973), while prices change by +14.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −16.9% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, GA | Fresno, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 102.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,404 in Fresno | $87,410 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $1,355/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $46,910 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Fresno, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Fresno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 95.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 161.0 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 102.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$503/yr.
38 Weak offer
Fresno, CA → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$503/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Fresno, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Fresno, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Fresno, CA | Real change, Columbus → Fresno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $62,033 | −16.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $75,055 | −16.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,959 | −16.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,973 | −16.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $126,410 | −16.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Fresno, CA | Fresno pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $78,800 | $68,879 (+12.3%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $129,060 | $112,811 (−2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $78,690 | $68,783 (−6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $125,420 | $109,629 (+32.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.