City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Greenville, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 11.1% higher than in Greenville, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greenville, SC would need about $111,100 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $1,221 in Greenville, SC. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 20% in Greenville, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,805 a year in IL and $4,843 in SC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.5% moving from Chicago, IL to Greenville, SC ($118,984 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.6% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Chicago, IL | Greenville, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 93.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,024 in Greenville | $111,082 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,221/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $46,580 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Greenville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 76.8 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 88.8 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 93.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Greenville, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$38/yr.
100 Strong offer
Greenville, SC → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$38/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Greenville, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Greenville, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Greenville, SC | Real change, Chicago → Greenville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $61,722 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $74,678 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $89,508 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $106,437 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $125,776 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Greenville, SC | Greenville pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $60,680 | $67,405 (−14.0%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $121,790 | $135,287 (+0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $76,870 | $85,389 (+3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $81,400 | $90,421 (−10.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.