City comparison
Merced, CA vs Myrtle Beach, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Merced, CA are 4.9% higher than in Myrtle Beach, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Myrtle Beach, SC would need about $104,900 in Merced, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,213 a month in Merced, CA and $1,229 in Myrtle Beach, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $5,070 a year in CA and $4,843 in SC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −20.0% moving from Merced, CA to Myrtle Beach, SC ($133,060 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −16.1% in real buying power.
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
- 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
| Merced, CA | Myrtle Beach, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.3 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,286 in Myrtle Beach | $104,948 in Merced |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/mo | $1,229/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,220 | $37,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Merced, CA MSA and Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Merced, CA and Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Merced | Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.6 | 83.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 158.3 | 88.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 98.3 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Merced, CA → Myrtle Beach, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$228/yr.
84 Strong offer
Myrtle Beach, SC → Merced, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$228/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Merced, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Myrtle Beach, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Merced, CA to Myrtle Beach, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Merced, CA | Myrtle Beach, SC | Real change, Merced → Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $61,722 | −16.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $74,678 | −16.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $89,508 | −16.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $106,437 | −16.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $125,776 | −16.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Merced, CA | Myrtle Beach, SC | Myrtle Beach pay in Merced dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,120 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | not published | — |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,420 | $74,520 | $78,207 (−2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,620 | $80,640 | $84,630 (−35.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.