City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 13.5% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $113,500 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,552 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Spartanburg, SC ($111,338 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.5% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
- 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
| Phoenix, AZ | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,129 in Spartanburg | $113,470 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,552/yr.
100 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$2,552/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Spartanburg, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Phoenix → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $61,722 | +8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $74,678 | +8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $89,508 | +8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $106,437 | +8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $125,776 | +8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $60,990 | $69,206 (+16.9%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $114,460 | $129,878 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $77,080 | $87,463 (+8.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $82,360 | $93,454 (−7.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.