City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Greeley, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greeley, CO are 4.9% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $104,900 in Greeley, CO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH and $1,238 in Greeley, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,724 a year higher in Greeley, CO than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.9% moving from Columbus, OH to Greeley, CO ($111,065 → $118,675), while prices change by +4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Greeley, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,930 in Greeley | $95,301 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,238/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $55,070 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Greeley, CO MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Greeley, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Greeley |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 112.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 82.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Greeley, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,724/yr.
54 Fair offer
Greeley, CO → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,724/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Greeley, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Greeley, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Greeley, CO | Real change, Columbus → Greeley |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $68,819 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $83,265 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $99,800 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $118,675 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $140,239 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Greeley, CO | Greeley pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $60,160 | $57,333 (−26.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $129,480 | $123,396 (+0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $87,240 | $83,141 (+1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $96,300 | $91,775 (+9.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.