City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 21.9% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $121,900 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $964 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Columbus, GA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.2% moving from Columbus, GA to Washington, DC ($112,556 → $121,785), while prices change by +21.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.3% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, GA | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $121,936 in Washington | $82,010 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.0%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$964/yr.
26 Weak offer
Washington, DC → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$964/yr.
100 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Washington, DC | Real change, Columbus → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $70,623 | −11.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $85,447 | −11.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $102,415 | −11.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $121,785 | −11.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $143,913 | −11.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $102,240 | $148,950 | $122,154 (+19.5%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $154,930 | $127,058 (+9.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $102,140 | $83,765 (+13.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $102,710 | $84,233 (+2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.