City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 19.5% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $119,500 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $503 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Columbus, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.8% moving from Columbus, GA to Sacramento, CA ($112,556 → $117,984), while prices change by +19.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.3% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, GA | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $119,457 in Sacramento | $83,712 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.3%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$503/yr.
31 Weak offer
Sacramento, CA → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$503/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Columbus → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $68,419 | −12.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $82,780 | −12.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $99,218 | −12.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $117,984 | −12.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $139,422 | −12.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $103,390 | $86,550 (+41.1%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $139,640 | $116,896 (+0.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $92,110 | $77,107 (+4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $171,460 | $143,533 (+74.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.