City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Orlando, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Orlando, FL are 4.2% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $104,200 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 $1,538 in Charlotte, NC. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Orlando, FL and 24% in Charlotte, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Charlotte, NC than in Orlando, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Charlotte, NC to Orlando, FL ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by +4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.1% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Orlando, FL: price level 101.4 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Orlando, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 101.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,181 in Orlando | $95,987 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,731/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $46,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Orlando |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 123.4 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 87.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 101.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Orlando, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
54 Fair offer
Orlando, FL → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Orlando, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Orlando, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Orlando, FL | Real change, Charlotte → Orlando |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | −6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | −6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | −6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | −6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | −6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Orlando, FL | Orlando pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $60,190 | $57,775 (−1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $129,620 | $124,418 (−8.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $78,630 | $75,475 (−18.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $83,550 | $80,197 (−11.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.