City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Los Angeles, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 12.5% higher than in Charleston, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charleston, SC would need about $112,500 in Los Angeles, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,085 a month in Los Angeles, CA versus $1,630 in Charleston, SC. On $100,000, that's 34% of take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA and 26% in Charleston, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Charleston, SC to Los Angeles, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +12.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.6% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Los Angeles, CA: price level 113.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Los Angeles, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 113.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,484 in Los Angeles | $88,902 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $2,085/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 34% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $55,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 170.4 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 106.6 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 158.6 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 113.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Los Angeles, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.1%; rent takes 34% of take-home; state tax +$228/yr.
24 Weak offer
Los Angeles, CA → Charleston, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$228/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Los Angeles, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Los Angeles, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Los Angeles, CA | Real change, Charleston → Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | +3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | +3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | +3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | +3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | +3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Los Angeles, CA | Los Angeles pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $101,860 | $90,555 (+48.4%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $160,920 | $143,060 (+8.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $94,360 | $83,888 (+5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $135,560 | $120,515 (+29.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.