City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Houston, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 2.4% higher than in Houston, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Houston, TX would need about $102,400 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 $1,323 in Houston, TX. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 20% in Houston, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Houston, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +15.3% moving from Charleston, SC to Houston, TX ($106,437 → $122,749), while prices change by −2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +18.1% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Houston, TX: price level 98.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Houston, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 98.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,689 in Houston | $102,365 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,323/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $49,410 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Houston-The Woodlands, TX |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 104.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 100.6 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 95.3 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 95.6 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 98.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Houston, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
76 Strong offer
Houston, TX → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Houston, TX is in Houston-The Woodlands, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Houston, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Houston, TX | Real change, Charleston → Houston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,181 | +18.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $86,123 | +18.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $103,225 | +18.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $122,749 | +18.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $145,052 | +18.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Houston, TX | Houston pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $64,500 | $66,026 (+8.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $129,440 | $132,502 (+0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $85,090 | $87,103 (+9.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $99,830 | $102,191 (+10.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.