City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Corpus Christi, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 4.1% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $104,100 in Asheville, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC versus $1,117 in Corpus Christi, TX. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 17% in Corpus Christi, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.5% moving from Asheville, NC to Corpus Christi, TX ($106,437 → $106,955), while prices change by −4.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.6% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Corpus Christi, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,026 in Corpus Christi | $104,138 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,117/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $45,350 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Corpus Christi, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 84.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
82 Strong offer
Corpus Christi, TX → Asheville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Corpus Christi, TX is in Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Corpus Christi, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Corpus Christi, TX | Real change, Asheville → Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,023 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,042 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,943 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,955 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,389 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Corpus Christi, TX | Corpus Christi pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $60,210 | $62,702 (+25.2%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $123,580 | $128,694 (−4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $75,580 | $78,708 (−2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $82,690 | $86,112 (+5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.