City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Charleston, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 4.6% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $104,600 in Charleston, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,362 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Asheville, NC.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Asheville, NC to Charleston, SC changes real buying power by −4.4%, purely from prices.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Charleston, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,617 in Charleston | $95,586 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,630/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $49,150 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Charleston-North Charleston, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 119.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 88.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,362/yr.
53 Fair offer
Charleston, SC → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,362/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Charleston, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Charleston, SC | Real change, Asheville → Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Charleston, SC | Charleston pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $61,020 | $58,327 (+16.5%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $132,150 | $126,318 (−6.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $79,350 | $75,848 (−5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $92,800 | $88,704 (+8.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.