City comparison
Montgomery, AL 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 4.4% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $104,400 in Myrtle Beach, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,229 a month in Myrtle Beach, SC versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Myrtle Beach, SC and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,735 a year in AL and $4,843 in SC.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Montgomery, AL to Myrtle Beach, SC changes real buying power by −4.2%, purely from prices.
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much 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
| Montgomery, AL | Myrtle Beach, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.7 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,416 in Myrtle Beach | $95,771 in Montgomery |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $870/mo | $1,229/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,950 | $37,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Montgomery, AL MSA and Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Montgomery, AL and Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Montgomery | Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.3 | 83.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 84.9 | 88.0 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 89.7 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Montgomery, AL → Myrtle Beach, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$108/yr.
56 Fair offer
Myrtle Beach, SC → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$108/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Montgomery, AL to Myrtle Beach, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Montgomery, AL | Myrtle Beach, SC | Real change, Montgomery → Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Montgomery, AL | Myrtle Beach, SC | Myrtle Beach pay in Montgomery dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,610 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $110,620 | not published | — |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,040 | $74,520 | $71,369 (−4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,570 | $80,640 | $77,230 (−2.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.