City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Myrtle Beach, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Myrtle Beach, SC are 1.2% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $101,200 in Myrtle Beach, SC to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO and $1,229 in Myrtle Beach, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,080 a year higher in Myrtle Beach, SC than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.6% moving from Kansas City, MO to Myrtle Beach, SC ($108,173 → $106,437), while prices change by +1.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.8% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
- Myrtle Beach, SC: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kansas City, MO | Myrtle Beach, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,188 in Myrtle Beach | $98,826 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $1,229/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $37,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 83.1 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 88.0 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Myrtle Beach, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,080/yr.
65 Fair offer
Myrtle Beach, SC → Kansas City, MO
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,080/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Myrtle Beach, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Myrtle Beach, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Myrtle Beach, SC | Real change, Kansas City → Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $61,722 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $74,678 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $89,508 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $106,437 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $125,776 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Myrtle Beach, SC | Myrtle Beach pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | not published | — |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $74,520 | $73,645 (−8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $80,640 | $79,694 (−4.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.