City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 17.4% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $117,400 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $709 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Columbus, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.1% moving from Columbus, GA to Minneapolis, MN ($112,556 → $116,038), while prices change by +17.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.2% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, GA | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,387 in Minneapolis | $85,188 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$709/yr.
38 Weak offer
Minneapolis, MN → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$709/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Columbus → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $67,290 | −12.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $81,415 | −12.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $97,582 | −12.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $116,038 | −12.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $137,123 | −12.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $79,730 | $67,921 (+10.7%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $130,920 | $111,528 (−4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $86,500 | $73,688 (+0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $103,040 | $87,778 (+6.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.