City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Kiryas Joel, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kiryas Joel, NY are 8.4% higher than in Charleston, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charleston, SC would need about $108,400 in Kiryas Joel, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC and $1,549 in Kiryas Joel, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $4,860 in NY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Charleston, SC to Kiryas Joel, NY ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +8.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.7% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Kiryas Joel, NY: price level 109.4 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Kiryas Joel, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 109.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,379 in Kiryas Joel | $92,268 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,549/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $50,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY MSA. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Kiryas Joel |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 115.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 110.3 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 136.8 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 106.5 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 109.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Kiryas Joel, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$17/yr.
45 Weak offer
Kiryas Joel, NY → Charleston, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$17/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Kiryas Joel, NY is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Kiryas Joel, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Kiryas Joel, NY | Real change, Charleston → Kiryas Joel |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +8.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +8.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +8.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +8.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +8.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Kiryas Joel, NY | Kiryas Joel pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $81,770 | $75,448 (+23.6%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $145,830 | $134,555 (+1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $88,900 | $82,027 (+3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $102,890 | $94,935 (+2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.