City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Durham, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 2.2% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $102,200 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Durham, NC than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.1% moving from Columbus, OH to Durham, NC ($111,065 → $111,147), while prices change by +2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.1% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Durham, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 97.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,203 in Durham | $97,845 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $60,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Durham |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 98.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 97.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
62 Fair offer
Durham, NC → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Durham, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Durham, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Durham, NC | Real change, Columbus → Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $64,453 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $77,983 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $93,468 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $111,147 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $131,342 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Durham, NC | Durham pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $51,400 | $50,292 (−35.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $135,620 | $132,697 (+8.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $85,090 | $83,256 (+1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | not published | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.