City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 2.8% higher than in Provo, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Provo, UT would need about $102,800 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 $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 20% in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,309 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Provo, UT.
- 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 Provo, UT changes real buying power by +2.8%, purely from prices.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,296 in Provo | $102,779 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Provo, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,309/yr.
77 Strong offer
Provo, UT → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,309/yr.
58 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 Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Provo, UT | Real change, Charleston → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $62,930 | $64,679 (+6.0%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $131,210 | $134,857 (+2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $75,700 | $77,804 (−1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $81,780 | $84,053 (−9.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.