City comparison
Charleston, SC vs New York, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 11.5% higher than in Charleston, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charleston, SC would need about $111,500 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $1,630 in Charleston, SC. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 26% in Charleston, SC.
- 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 New York, NY ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +11.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.7% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | New York, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 112.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,490 in New York | $89,694 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $2,655/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% | 43% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $61,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 148.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 110.3 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 127.0 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 105.8 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 112.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.3%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$17/yr.
11 Weak offer
New York, NY → Charleston, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$17/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; New York, NY is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to New York, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | New York, NY | Real change, Charleston → New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | New York, NY | New York pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $96,900 | $86,913 (+42.4%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $166,830 | $149,636 (+13.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $105,650 | $94,761 (+19.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $119,720 | $107,381 (+15.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.