City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 3.9% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $103,900 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH and $1,148 in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,703 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Omaha, NE ($111,065 → $107,501), while prices change by −3.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.5% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,273 in Omaha | $103,871 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,703/yr.
81 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,703/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Omaha, NE | Real change, Columbus → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $62,339 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $75,425 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $90,402 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $107,501 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $127,033 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $62,670 | $65,096 (−16.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $125,220 | $130,067 (+6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $77,030 | $80,012 (−2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $84,600 | $87,875 (+4.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.