City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Omaha, NE are 2.9% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $102,900 in Omaha, NE to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,148 a month in Omaha, NE versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Omaha, NE and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $897 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.5% moving from Columbus, GA to Omaha, NE ($112,556 → $107,501), while prices change by +2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.2% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, GA | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,928 in Omaha | $97,155 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Omaha, NE
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$897/yr.
60 Fair offer
Omaha, NE → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$897/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Omaha, NE | Real change, Columbus → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $62,339 | −7.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $75,425 | −7.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $90,402 | −7.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $107,501 | −7.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $127,033 | −7.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $62,670 | $60,887 (−0.8%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $125,220 | $121,657 (+4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $77,030 | $74,838 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $84,600 | $82,193 (−0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.