City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Gainesville, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gainesville, FL are 1.3% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $101,300 in Gainesville, FL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH and $1,246 in Gainesville, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Columbus, OH than in Gainesville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Gainesville, FL ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by +1.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.4% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Gainesville, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 96.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,324 in Gainesville | $98,693 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,246/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $47,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Gainesville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Gainesville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 93.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 88.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 96.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Gainesville, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
65 Fair offer
Gainesville, FL → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Gainesville, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Gainesville, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Gainesville, FL | Real change, Columbus → Gainesville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | −5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | −5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | −5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | −5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | −5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Gainesville, FL | Gainesville pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $56,430 | $55,693 (−28.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $122,950 | $121,343 (−0.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $75,820 | $74,829 (−8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $81,870 | $80,800 (−3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.