City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 1.6% higher than in Charleston, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charleston, SC would need about $101,600 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $1,520 in Philadelphia, PA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 24% in Philadelphia, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,773 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Charleston, SC to Philadelphia, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.5% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charleston, SC | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,577 in Philadelphia | $98,448 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Philadelphia, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,773/yr.
64 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Charleston, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,773/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Charleston → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | +8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | +8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | +8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | +8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | +8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $78,570 | $77,350 (+26.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $133,040 | $130,975 (−0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $85,990 | $84,655 (+6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $101,180 | $99,609 (+7.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.