City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 9.1% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $109,100 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 $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,080 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Charleston, SC to Kansas City, MO ($106,437 → $108,173), while prices change by −8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.9% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,661 in Kansas City | $109,097 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,080/yr.
97 Strong offer
Kansas City, MO → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,080/yr.
41 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Charleston → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,729 | +10.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,897 | +10.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,968 | +10.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,173 | +10.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,829 | +10.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $61,060 | $66,615 (+9.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $124,990 | $136,361 (+3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $80,040 | $87,322 (+10.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $83,040 | $90,594 (−2.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.