City comparison
Myrtle Beach, SC vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Myrtle Beach, SC are 5.3% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $105,300 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 $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Myrtle Beach, SC and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $4,780 in KS.
- 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 Wichita, KS changes real buying power by +5.3%, purely from prices.
- Myrtle Beach, SC: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Myrtle Beach, SC | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,985 in Wichita | $105,280 in Myrtle Beach |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,229/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $37,930 | $47,630 |
| 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 Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Myrtle Beach | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 83.1 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 88.0 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Myrtle Beach, SC → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$63/yr.
85 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Myrtle Beach, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$63/yr.
53 Fair 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 Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Myrtle Beach, SC | Wichita, KS | Real change, Myrtle Beach → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Myrtle Beach, SC | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Myrtle Beach dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | not published | $58,640 | — |
| Software Developers | not published | $105,980 | — |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,520 | $79,270 | $83,455 (+12.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,640 | $76,540 | $80,581 (−0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.