City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Corpus Christi, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 3.0% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $103,000 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $1,117 in Corpus Christi, TX. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 17% in Corpus Christi, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Columbus, OH than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.7% moving from Columbus, OH to Corpus Christi, TX ($111,065 → $106,955), while prices change by −2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.8% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Corpus Christi, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,069 in Corpus Christi | $103,019 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,117/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $45,350 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Corpus Christi, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 84.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
78 Strong offer
Corpus Christi, TX → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Corpus Christi, TX is in Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Corpus Christi, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Corpus Christi, TX | Real change, Columbus → Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $62,023 | −0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $75,042 | −0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,943 | −0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,955 | −0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $126,389 | −0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Corpus Christi, TX | Corpus Christi pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $60,210 | $62,028 (−20.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $123,580 | $127,311 (+4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $75,580 | $77,862 (−4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $82,690 | $85,187 (+1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.