City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 6.5% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $106,500 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,767 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Montgomery, AL ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.0% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,938 in Montgomery | $106,453 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$2,767/yr.
89 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,767/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Montgomery, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Columbus → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | +2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | +2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | +2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | +2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | +2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $59,610 | $63,457 (−18.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $110,620 | $117,758 (−3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $75,040 | $79,882 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $79,570 | $84,704 (+1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.