City comparison
Orlando, FL vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Orlando, FL are 11.4% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $111,400 in Orlando, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,731 a month in Orlando, FL versus $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Orlando, FL and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in Orlando, FL.
- 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 Orlando, FL to Spartanburg, SC changes real buying power by +11.4%, purely from prices.
- Orlando, FL: price level 101.4 (about average)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Orlando, FL | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.4 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,778 in Spartanburg | $111,386 in Orlando |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,731/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,630 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Orlando | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.4 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 87.2 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 101.4 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Orlando, FL → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
100 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Orlando, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
36 Weak 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 Orlando, FL to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Orlando, FL | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Orlando → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +11.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +11.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +11.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +11.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +11.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Orlando, FL | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Orlando dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,190 | $60,990 | $67,934 (+12.9%) |
| Software Developers | $129,620 | $114,460 | $127,492 (−1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,630 | $77,080 | $85,856 (+9.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,550 | $82,360 | $91,737 (+9.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.