City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Greenville, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 2.4% higher than in Greenville, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greenville, SC would need about $102,400 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH and $1,221 in Greenville, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,875 a year higher in Greenville, SC than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Greenville, SC ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.9% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Greenville, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 93.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,686 in Greenville | $102,369 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,221/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $46,580 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Greenville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 76.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 88.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 93.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Greenville, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,875/yr.
76 Strong offer
Greenville, SC → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,875/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Greenville, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Greenville, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Greenville, SC | Real change, Columbus → Greenville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Greenville, SC | Greenville pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $60,680 | $62,117 (−20.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $121,790 | $124,675 (+1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $76,870 | $78,691 (−3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $81,400 | $83,328 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.