City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Orlando, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Charleston, SC (101.0) and Orlando, FL (101.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Charleston, SC goes as far as $100,500 in Orlando, FL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,731 a month in Orlando, FL versus $1,630 in Charleston, SC. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Orlando, 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 Orlando, 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 Orlando, FL changes real buying power by −0.4%, purely from prices.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Orlando, FL: price level 101.4 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Orlando, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 101.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,452 in Orlando | $99,550 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,731/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% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $46,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Orlando |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 123.4 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 87.2 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 101.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Orlando, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
65 Fair offer
Orlando, FL → Charleston, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
68 Fair 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 Orlando, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Orlando, FL | Real change, Charleston → Orlando |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Orlando, FL | Orlando pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $60,190 | $59,919 (−1.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $129,620 | $129,037 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $78,630 | $78,276 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $83,550 | $83,174 (−10.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.