City comparison
Charleston, SC vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 6.2% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $106,200 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 $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,080 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.5% moving from Charleston, SC to St. Louis, MO ($106,437 → $109,137), while prices change by −5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.9% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,182 in St. Louis | $106,177 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,080/yr.
88 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,080/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Charleston → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,288 | +8.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,573 | +8.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,779 | +8.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $109,137 | +8.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,967 | +8.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $60,650 | $64,397 (+5.5%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $129,030 | $137,001 (+3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $78,880 | $83,753 (+5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $83,180 | $88,318 (−4.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.