$150K in Minneapolis = $123,113 in Columbia

Your $150K salary in Minneapolis (COL 106) has the same purchasing power as $123,113 in Columbia (COL 87). Columbia is cheaper โ€” your money goes 18% further there.

$150K in Minneapolis, MN
$7,706/mo take-home
Rent: $1,700/mo (22% of take-home)
Comfortable
$123,113/yr in Columbia, SC
$6,705/mo take-home
Rent: $1,250/mo (19% of take-home)
Very comfortable

Budget breakdown โ€” $150K in both cities

What $150K actually buys you in each city after taxes and core expenses.

Expense
Minneapolis
$150K
Columbia
$150K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$7,706$8,169
1BR rent$1,700$1,250
Groceries$391$361
Transport$95$45
Utilities$195$152
Internet$65$60
Left after essentials$5,260/month$6,301/month
To match your Minneapolis purchasing power in Columbia, you'd need to earn $123,113/year (18% less than $150K). At that salary, you'd have $4,837/mo left after essentials โ€” vs $5,260/mo in Minneapolis.

Frequently asked questions

What is $150K in Minneapolis equivalent to in Columbia?

$150K in Minneapolis (COL index 106) has the same purchasing power as $123,113 in Columbia (COL index 87). That's 18% less than your current salary.

If I move from Minneapolis to Columbia keeping my $150K salary, will I be better off?

Yes. If you keep earning $150K after moving to Columbia, you'd have $1,041 more per month after core expenses โ€” because Columbia is cheaper than Minneapolis.

How is the salary equivalent calculated?

The equivalent salary is calculated by multiplying your current salary by the ratio of the two cities' overall cost of living indices: $150K ร— (87 รท 106) = $123,113. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

Equivalency uses overall COL index ratio. Take-home uses simplified federal/state brackets. Zillow ยท BLS ยท Numbeo ยท Q1 2026 ยท For general guidance only