City comparison
Boston, MA vs Charleston, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 7.2% higher than in Charleston, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charleston, SC would need about $107,200 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,630 in Charleston, SC. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 26% in Charleston, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,780 a year in MA and $4,843 in SC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.7% moving from Boston, MA to Charleston, SC ($120,548 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.3% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boston, MA | Charleston, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,254 in Charleston | $107,234 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,630/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $49,150 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Charleston-North Charleston, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Charleston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 119.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 88.2 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Charleston, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$63/yr.
89 Strong offer
Charleston, SC → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax −$63/yr.
25 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Charleston, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Charleston, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Charleston, SC | Real change, Boston → Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $61,722 | −5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $74,678 | −5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,508 | −5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,437 | −5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $125,776 | −5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Charleston, SC | Charleston pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $61,020 | $65,434 (−33.3%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $132,150 | $141,710 (−14.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $79,350 | $85,091 (−15.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $92,800 | $99,514 (−6.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.