City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 6.6% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $106,600 in Charleston, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,773 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Charleston, SC to Pittsburgh, PA ($106,437 → $110,047), while prices change by −6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.3% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,769 in Pittsburgh | $106,645 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,773/yr.
90 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,773/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Charleston → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,815 | +10.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,211 | +10.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $92,543 | +10.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,047 | +10.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,042 | +10.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $76,550 | $81,637 (+33.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $124,500 | $132,773 (+0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $76,940 | $82,053 (+3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $82,370 | $87,844 (−5.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.