City comparison
Greenville, SC vs McAllen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greenville, SC are 8.6% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $108,600 in Greenville, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,221 a month in Greenville, SC versus $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Greenville, SC and 13% in McAllen, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Greenville, SC than in McAllen, TX.
- 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 Greenville, SC to McAllen, TX changes real buying power by +8.6%, purely from prices.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (cheaper)
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greenville, SC | McAllen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 85.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,103 in McAllen | $108,574 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $847/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $35,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | McAllen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 55.9 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 85.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
96 Strong offer
McAllen, TX → Greenville, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
44 Weak 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 Greenville, SC to McAllen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | McAllen, TX | Real change, Greenville → McAllen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +8.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +8.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +8.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +8.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +8.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | McAllen, TX | McAllen pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $63,110 | $68,521 (+12.9%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $116,120 | $126,077 (+3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $64,470 | $69,998 (−8.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $80,540 | $87,446 (+7.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.