City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 14.1% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $114,100 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,087 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Columbus, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.1% moving from Columbus, GA to Portland, ME ($112,556 → $120,548), while prices change by +14.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.1% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, GA | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,068 in Portland | $87,667 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.3%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,087/yr.
34 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,087/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Portland, ME | Real change, Columbus → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $69,905 | −6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $84,579 | −6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $101,375 | −6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $120,548 | −6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $142,452 | −6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $76,770 | $67,302 (+9.7%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $128,710 | $112,836 (−2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $79,790 | $69,950 (−5.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $88,470 | $77,559 (−6.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.