City comparison
Columbus, OH vs San Antonio, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Columbus, OH (95.5) and San Antonio, TX (94.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbus, OH goes as far as $99,200 in San Antonio, TX.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH and $1,177 in San Antonio, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Columbus, OH than in San Antonio, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.8% moving from Columbus, OH to San Antonio, TX ($111,065 → $108,001), while prices change by −0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.0% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- San Antonio, TX: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | San Antonio, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,211 in San Antonio | $100,795 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,177/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $47,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | San Antonio |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 94.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 82.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → San Antonio, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
71 Strong offer
San Antonio, TX → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; San Antonio, TX is in San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to San Antonio, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | San Antonio, TX | Real change, Columbus → San Antonio |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $62,629 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $75,776 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $90,823 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $108,001 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $127,624 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | San Antonio, TX | San Antonio pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $61,720 | $62,211 (−20.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $128,430 | $129,451 (+5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $78,650 | $79,275 (−3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $94,370 | $95,120 (+13.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.