City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Modesto, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 3.1% higher than in Charleston, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charleston, SC would need about $103,100 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $1,356 in Modesto, CA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 22% in Modesto, CA.
- 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 +25.0% moving from Charleston, SC to Modesto, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +3.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +21.2% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Modesto, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 104.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,116 in Modesto | $96,978 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,356/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% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $50,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Modesto, CA MSA. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Modesto, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Modesto |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 108.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 152.3 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 104.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$228/yr.
59 Fair offer
Modesto, CA → Charleston, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$228/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Modesto, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Modesto, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Modesto, CA | Real change, Charleston → Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +21.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +21.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +21.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +21.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +21.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Modesto, CA | Modesto pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $101,640 | $98,569 (+61.5%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $119,770 | $116,151 (−12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $83,560 | $81,035 (+2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $132,590 | $128,583 (+38.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.