City comparison
Charleston, SC vs San Luis Obispo, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Luis Obispo, CA are 7.6% higher than in Charleston, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charleston, SC would need about $107,600 in San Luis Obispo, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,914 a month in San Luis Obispo, CA versus $1,630 in Charleston, SC. On $100,000, that's 31% of take-home pay in San Luis Obispo, CA and 26% in Charleston, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Charleston, SC to San Luis Obispo, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +7.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.4% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- San Luis Obispo, CA: price level 108.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | San Luis Obispo, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 108.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,561 in San Luis Obispo | $92,970 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,914/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 31% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $50,770 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | San Luis Obispo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 144.4 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 147.8 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 108.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → San Luis Obispo, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 31% of take-home; state tax +$228/yr.
38 Weak offer
San Luis Obispo, CA → Charleston, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$228/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; San Luis Obispo, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to San Luis Obispo, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | San Luis Obispo, CA | Real change, Charleston → San Luis Obispo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | +8.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | +8.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | +8.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | +8.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | +8.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | San Luis Obispo, CA | San Luis Obispo pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $97,620 | $90,758 (+48.7%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $135,020 | $125,528 (−5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $88,160 | $81,963 (+3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $138,820 | $129,061 (+39.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.