City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 4.9% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $104,900 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,875 a year higher in Spartanburg, 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 Spartanburg, SC ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.5% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,372 in Spartanburg | $104,852 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,083/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,875/yr.
84 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,875/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Spartanburg, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Columbus → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $60,990 | $63,949 (−18.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $114,460 | $120,014 (−1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $77,080 | $80,820 (−1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $82,360 | $86,356 (+2.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.