City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Myrtle Beach, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gainesville, FL are 3.3% higher than in Myrtle Beach, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Myrtle Beach, SC would need about $103,300 in Gainesville, FL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL and $1,229 in Myrtle Beach, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Myrtle Beach, SC than in Gainesville, FL.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Gainesville, FL to Myrtle Beach, SC changes real buying power by +3.3%, purely from prices.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
- Myrtle Beach, SC: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Gainesville, FL | Myrtle Beach, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,805 in Myrtle Beach | $103,301 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $1,229/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $37,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 83.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 88.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Myrtle Beach, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
79 Strong offer
Myrtle Beach, SC → Gainesville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Gainesville, FL to Myrtle Beach, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Myrtle Beach, SC | Real change, Gainesville → Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Myrtle Beach, SC | Myrtle Beach pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | not published | — |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $74,520 | $76,980 (+1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $80,640 | $83,302 (+1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.