same $100k income, fresh start from Reading
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
more expensive each month than Reading
Columbia costs more than Reading, and you'll feel it. The upside has to come from somewhere other than your budget.
a quick ledger.
$1,551/mo
5% more expensive than Reading(vs $1,478/mo)
6.5%
$286/mo more in state tax than Reading
vs 3.07% in Reading
$6,241/mo
$359 less than Reading
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$255k
18% cheaper than Reading
vs $311k in Reading
857k
vs 433k in Reading
field notes, weather & such.
189
pleasant days a year, in columbia.
Reading only logs 157 pleasant days. Summers run hot, though: 27 days above 95° vs Reading's 2.
But the calendar thins out: Reading stays 1.5× busier.
55/100
15% lower than Reading
vs 65/100 in Reading
Closest outdoor draw: Congaree National Park, 29.1 mi.
85/100
0% lower than Reading
vs 85/100 in Reading
10
0% fewer than Reading
vs 0 nonstops in Reading
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