City comparison
Myrtle Beach, SC vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 2.2% higher than in Myrtle Beach, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Myrtle Beach, SC would need about $102,200 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,229 a month in Myrtle Beach, SC versus $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Myrtle Beach, SC and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $4,860 in NY.
- 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 Myrtle Beach, SC to Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by −2.2%, purely from prices.
- Myrtle Beach, SC: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Myrtle Beach, SC | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,243 in Syracuse | $97,807 in Myrtle Beach |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,229/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $37,930 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Myrtle Beach | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 83.1 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 88.0 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Myrtle Beach, SC → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$17/yr.
62 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Myrtle Beach, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$17/yr.
76 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 Myrtle Beach, SC to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Myrtle Beach, SC | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Myrtle Beach → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Myrtle Beach, SC | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Myrtle Beach dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | not published | $78,560 | — |
| Software Developers | not published | $129,100 | — |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,520 | $82,230 | $80,426 (+7.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,640 | $86,960 | $85,053 (+5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.