City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 10.1% higher than in Charleston, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charleston, SC would need about $110,100 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,630 in Charleston, SC. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 26% in Charleston, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Charleston, SC to Seattle, WA ($106,437 → $119,630), while prices change by +10.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.1% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,074 in Seattle | $90,848 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.2%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
29 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Charleston, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Seattle, WA | Real change, Charleston → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,373 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,935 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,602 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $119,630 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,367 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $102,920 | $93,501 (+53.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $167,280 | $151,970 (+15.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $99,370 | $90,276 (+13.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $128,260 | $116,522 (+25.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.