City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 1.5% higher than in Greenville, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greenville, SC would need about $101,500 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,221 a month in Greenville, SC versus $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Greenville, SC and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,773 a year higher in Greenville, SC than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Greenville, SC to Pittsburgh, PA ($106,437 → $110,047), while prices change by +1.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (cheaper)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greenville, SC | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,513 in Pittsburgh | $98,510 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Pittsburgh, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,773/yr.
64 Fair offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Greenville, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,773/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greenville, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Greenville, SC to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Greenville → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,815 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,211 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $92,543 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,047 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,042 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $76,550 | $75,409 (+24.3%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $124,500 | $122,644 (+0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $76,940 | $75,793 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $82,370 | $81,142 (−0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.