City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Spokane, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Spokane, WA are 5.1% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $105,100 in Spokane, WA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH and $1,193 in Spokane, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Columbus, OH than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.7% moving from Columbus, OH to Spokane, WA ($111,065 → $106,991), while prices change by +5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.4% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Columbus, OH | Spokane, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,108 in Spokane | $95,140 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,193/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $54,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 91.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Spokane, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
54 Fair offer
Spokane, WA → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Spokane, WA is in Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Spokane, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Spokane, WA | Real change, Columbus → Spokane |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $62,044 | −8.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $75,068 | −8.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,974 | −8.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,991 | −8.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $126,432 | −8.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Spokane, WA | Spokane pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $98,800 | $93,998 (+20.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $130,690 | $124,338 (+1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $86,350 | $82,153 (+0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $111,750 | $106,319 (+26.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.