City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Richmond, VA are 4.9% higher than in Greenville, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greenville, SC would need about $104,900 in Richmond, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,221 in Greenville, SC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 20% in Greenville, SC.
- 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 +4.5% moving from Greenville, SC to Richmond, VA ($106,437 → $111,183), while prices change by +4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.4% in real buying power.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (cheaper)
- Richmond, 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
| Greenville, SC | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,930 in Richmond | $95,301 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $1,507/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 | 20% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Richmond, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$93/yr.
54 Fair offer
Richmond, VA → Greenville, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$93/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greenville, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Greenville, SC to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Richmond, VA | Real change, Greenville → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,475 | −0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,009 | −0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,499 | −0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,183 | −0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,385 | −0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $61,290 | $58,410 (−3.7%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $132,120 | $125,912 (+3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $84,220 | $80,263 (+4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $93,580 | $89,183 (+9.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.