City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Oklahoma City, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Oklahoma City, OK are 1.2% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $101,200 in Oklahoma City, OK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,017 a month in Oklahoma City, OK versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Oklahoma City, OK and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $613 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Oklahoma City, OK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Columbus, GA to Oklahoma City, OK ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by +1.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.6% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, GA | Oklahoma City, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 90.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,245 in Oklahoma City | $98,770 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $1,017/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $47,230 |
| 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 Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Oklahoma City, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 73.9 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 90.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Oklahoma City, OK
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$613/yr.
65 Fair offer
Oklahoma City, OK → Columbus, GA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$613/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Oklahoma City, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Oklahoma City, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Oklahoma City, OK | Real change, Columbus → Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | −6.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | −6.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | −6.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | −6.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | −6.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma City pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $48,780 | $48,180 (−21.5%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $122,390 | $120,885 (+4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $77,280 | $76,329 (+3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $82,920 | $81,900 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.