City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Merced, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Merced, CA are 2.9% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $102,900 in Merced, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH and $1,213 in Merced, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +19.8% moving from Columbus, OH to Merced, CA ($111,065 → $133,060), while prices change by +2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.4% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Merced, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,939 in Merced | $97,145 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,213/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $47,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Merced, CA MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Merced, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Merced |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Merced, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
60 Fair offer
Merced, CA → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Merced, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Merced, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Merced, CA | Real change, Columbus → Merced |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $77,161 | +16.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $93,358 | +16.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $111,896 | +16.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $133,060 | +16.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $157,236 | +16.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Merced, CA | Merced pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $100,120 | $97,261 (+24.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $132,120 | $128,348 (+4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $80,420 | $78,124 (−4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $131,620 | $127,862 (+52.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.