

Albany vs Columbus
$318/mo less in Columbus
AlbanyColumbusAbout 69 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Columbus costs you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
- 222 sunny days
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,026/mo in Columbus. $2,344/mo in Albany. −$3,816 a year.
Albany
$2,344
left each month
Columbus
$2,026
−$318 vs Albany
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 73 households moved Albany → Columbus (avg AGI $50,616). 33 went the other way. The whole move →
−$318 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Albany | Columbus | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $6,625 | $6,594 | −$31 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,557 | $1,547 | −$11 |
| Take-home pay | $5,068 | $5,047 | −$20 |
| Rent | $730 | $1,063 | +$333 |
| Getting around | $596 | $560 | −$36 |
| Groceries | $386 | $386 | $0 |
| Healthcare | $434 | $434 | $0 |
| Utilities | $241 | $241 | $0 |
| Everything else | $337 | $337 | $0 |
| Left over | $2,344 | $2,026 | −$318 |
Salary to match Albany
$85,000
Gross pay in Columbus that leaves the same amount as $79,500 in Albany.
Tax difference
+$19
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 23.5% in Albany, 23.5% in Columbus.
More about Columbus
Albany, GA in full
A flat 5.19% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $869 and 222 sunny days; commutes average 23 minutes.
Columbus, GA in full
A flat 5.19% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,265 and 222 sunny days; commutes average 22 minutes.
The other way
Start in Columbus.
Columbus → Albany →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Columbus than Albany?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Columbus leaves about $318 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $730 in Albany and $1,063 in Columbus.
Does Columbus have state income tax?
Columbus is in Georgia, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Albany to Columbus?
The paycheck is taxed in Georgia. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Albany and Columbus changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.