Uprootmap
Columbia vs Memphis
Columbia and Memphis
Photo: Quintin Soloviev / Wikimedia, CC BY 4.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
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So you know: homicide deaths in Memphis are above the US rate in this release, 23.7 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Columbia to Memphis
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Columbia to Memphis above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,020 in Columbia and $1,045 in Memphis. Columbia has a state tax on wages. Memphis has no state tax on wages. Local pay in Memphis is 91% of the national level for the same work, against 88% in Columbia.
Memphis averages 213 sunny days, with July highs around 92°F and January nights around 32°F. Columbia is 217 sunny days, 87°F in July, 25°F in January. Commutes average 25 minutes in Memphis and 20 in Columbia.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Columbia → Memphis pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Columbia and Memphis changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 377 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,950–$3,650
- Container or pod
- $1,350–$2,500
- Rent a truck
- $600–$1,100
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Dig into Memphis
Questions
Is Memphis cheaper than Columbia after tax and rent?
Yes. Memphis leaves about $128 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,020 in Columbia and $1,045 in Memphis.
Does Memphis have state income tax?
Memphis is in Tennessee, which has no state income tax.
Did people actually move from Columbia to Memphis?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.