City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Myrtle Beach, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 2.0% higher than in Myrtle Beach, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Myrtle Beach, SC would need about $102,000 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH and $1,229 in Myrtle Beach, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,875 a year higher in Myrtle Beach, 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 Myrtle Beach, SC ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.3% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Myrtle Beach, SC: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Myrtle Beach, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,086 in Myrtle Beach | $101,951 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,229/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 | $37,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 83.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 88.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Myrtle Beach, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,875/yr.
75 Strong offer
Myrtle Beach, SC → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,875/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Myrtle Beach, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Myrtle Beach, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Myrtle Beach, SC | Real change, Columbus → Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | −2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | −2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | −2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | −2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | −2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Myrtle Beach, SC | Myrtle Beach pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | not published | — |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $74,520 | $75,974 (−7.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $80,640 | $82,213 (−2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.