City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Virginia Beach, VA are 5.0% higher than in Greenville, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greenville, SC would need about $105,000 in Virginia Beach, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,512 a month in Virginia Beach, VA versus $1,221 in Greenville, SC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Virginia Beach, 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 +1.5% moving from Greenville, SC to Virginia Beach, VA ($106,437 → $108,019), while prices change by +5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.4% in real buying power.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (cheaper)
- 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
| Greenville, SC | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,019 in Virginia Beach | $95,221 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/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 | 20% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Virginia Beach, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$93/yr.
54 Fair offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Greenville, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; 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; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Greenville, SC to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Greenville → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,640 | −3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,788 | −3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,838 | −3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,019 | −3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,646 | −3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $63,380 | $60,351 (−0.5%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $129,090 | $122,920 (+0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $79,450 | $75,653 (−1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $89,450 | $85,175 (+4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.