City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Naples, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Naples, FL are 2.2% higher than in Charleston, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charleston, SC would need about $102,200 in Naples, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,797 a month in Naples, FL versus $1,630 in Charleston, SC. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Naples, FL and 26% in Charleston, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Naples, FL.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Charleston, SC to Naples, FL changes real buying power by −2.2%, purely from prices.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Naples, FL: price level 103.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Naples, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,217 in Naples | $97,831 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,797/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $47,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Naples-Marco Island, FL MSA. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Naples-Marco Island, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Naples |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 129.4 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Naples, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
59 Fair offer
Naples, FL → Charleston, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Naples, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Naples, FL | Real change, Charleston → Naples |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Naples, FL | Naples pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $60,470 | $59,159 (−3.1%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $130,730 | $127,895 (−3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $84,570 | $82,736 (+4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $93,330 | $91,306 (−1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.