City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Los Angeles, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Los Angeles, CA are 21.8% higher than in Greenville, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greenville, SC would need about $121,800 in Los Angeles, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,085 a month in Los Angeles, CA versus $1,221 in Greenville, SC. On $100,000, that's 34% of take-home pay in Los Angeles, CA and 20% in Greenville, 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 Greenville, SC to Los Angeles, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +21.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.3% in real buying power.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (cheaper)
- Los Angeles, CA: price level 113.6 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greenville, SC | Los Angeles, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 113.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $121,774 in Los Angeles | $82,120 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $2,085/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 | 20% | 34% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $55,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 170.4 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 106.6 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 158.6 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 113.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Los Angeles, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.9%; rent takes 34% of take-home; state tax +$228/yr.
24 Weak offer
Los Angeles, CA → Greenville, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$228/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greenville, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Los Angeles, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Greenville, SC to Los Angeles, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Los Angeles, CA | Real change, Greenville → Los Angeles |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | −4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | −4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | −4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | −4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | −4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Los Angeles, CA | Los Angeles pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $101,860 | $83,647 (+37.8%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $160,920 | $132,147 (+8.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $94,360 | $77,488 (+0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $135,560 | $111,321 (+36.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.