City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Lakeland, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lakeland, FL are 8.8% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $108,800 in Lakeland, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,230 a month in Lakeland, FL versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Lakeland, FL and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Lakeland, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Columbus, GA to Lakeland, FL ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by +8.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −13.1% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, GA | Lakeland, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,785 in Lakeland | $91,924 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $1,230/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $46,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Lakeland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 95.9 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 86.9 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Lakeland, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
44 Weak offer
Lakeland, FL → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Lakeland, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Lakeland, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Lakeland, FL | Real change, Columbus → Lakeland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | −13.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | −13.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | −13.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | −13.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | −13.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Lakeland, FL | Lakeland pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $50,420 | $46,348 (−24.5%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $122,200 | $112,331 (−3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $76,820 | $70,616 (−4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $84,030 | $77,244 (−6.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.