City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Charleston, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 4.2% higher than in Charleston, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charleston, SC would need about $104,200 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,630 in Charleston, SC. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 26% in Charleston, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,151 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Charleston, SC ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.5% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Charleston, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,970 in Charleston | $104,200 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,630/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $49,150 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Charleston-North Charleston, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 119.8 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 88.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Charleston, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,151/yr.
80 Strong offer
Charleston, SC → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,151/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Charleston, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Charleston, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Charleston, SC | Real change, Boulder → Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | −6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | −6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | −6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | −6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | −6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Charleston, SC | Charleston pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $61,020 | $63,583 (−21.2%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $132,150 | $137,700 (−16.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $79,350 | $82,682 (−17.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $92,800 | $96,697 (−6.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.