City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Grand Rapids, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 5.7% higher than in Grand Rapids, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI would need about $105,700 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 $1,278 in Grand Rapids, MI. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 20% in Grand Rapids, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $844 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Grand Rapids, MI.
- 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 Charleston, SC to Grand Rapids, MI changes real buying power by +5.7%, purely from prices.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Grand Rapids, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,636 in Grand Rapids | $105,668 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,278/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $47,570 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 93.8 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$844/yr.
86 Strong offer
Grand Rapids, MI → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$844/yr.
50 Fair 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 Charleston, SC to Grand Rapids, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Grand Rapids, MI | Real change, Charleston → Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Grand Rapids, MI | Grand Rapids pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $61,900 | $65,409 (+7.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $107,520 | $113,615 (−14.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $76,270 | $80,593 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $83,920 | $88,677 (−4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.