City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 3.1% higher than in Virginia Beach, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Virginia Beach, VA would need about $103,100 in Charleston, SC to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $1,512 in Virginia Beach, VA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 24% in Virginia Beach, VA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $4,936 in VA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.5% moving from Charleston, SC to Virginia Beach, VA ($106,437 → $108,019), while prices change by −3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.6% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Virginia Beach, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,008 in Virginia Beach | $103,085 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$93/yr.
78 Strong offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Charleston, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$93/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Charleston → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,640 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,788 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,838 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,019 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,646 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $63,380 | $65,335 (+7.1%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $129,090 | $133,072 (+0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $79,450 | $81,901 (+3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $89,450 | $92,209 (−0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.