same $100k income, fresh start from Chicago
changea dispatch from
columbia
SC
34.00°N
81.03°W
Columbia is the South Carolina capital, USC Gamecock country, and home to one of the largest urban rivers (the Congaree) flowing right past downtown. The Saluda River outside town is a tubing destination locals swear by, and Congaree National Park's old-growth cypress is a 30-minute drive. The state museum is a sleeper good time. Slower-paced than Charleston, less touristy.
in our guides
the verdict
under Chicago, every month
Not a fortune, but real money. Columbia runs cheaper than Chicago month over month.
a quick ledger.
$1,551/mo
29% cheaper than Chicago(vs $2,170/mo)
6.5%
$129/mo more in state tax than Chicago
vs 4.95% in Chicago
$6,241/mo
$490 more than Chicago
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$255k
30% cheaper than Chicago
vs $365k in Chicago
857k
vs 9.3M in Chicago
field notes, weather & such.
189
pleasant days a year, in columbia.
Chicago only logs 153 pleasant days. Hot stretches show up, though: 27 days above 95° here, 1 in Chicago.
Lighter on events: Chicago packs 68.2× more into a month.
55/100
21% lower than Chicago
vs 70/100 in Chicago
Closest outdoor draw: Congaree National Park, 29.1 mi.
85/100
15% lower than Chicago
vs 100/100 in Chicago
10
95% fewer than Chicago
vs 217 nonstops in Chicago
cities that play in columbia's register:
compare columbia with:
