City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greenville, SC are 4.0% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $104,000 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 $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Greenville, SC and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $4,735 in AL.
- 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 Montgomery, AL changes real buying power by +4.0%, purely from prices.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greenville, SC | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,163 in Montgomery | $103,990 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$108/yr.
81 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Greenville, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$108/yr.
57 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 Greenville, SC to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Greenville → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $59,610 | $61,988 (+2.2%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $110,620 | $115,033 (−5.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $75,040 | $78,034 (+1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $79,570 | $82,745 (+1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.