City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 5.3% higher than in Greenville, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greenville, SC would need about $105,300 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,221 a month in Greenville, SC and $1,265 in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,309 a year higher in Greenville, SC than in Provo, UT.
- 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 Provo, UT changes real buying power by −5.1%, purely from prices.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (cheaper)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greenville, SC | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,331 in Provo | $94,939 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $48,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,309/yr.
53 Fair offer
Provo, UT → Greenville, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,309/yr.
85 Strong 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 Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Provo, UT | Real change, Greenville → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $62,930 | $59,745 (−1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $131,210 | $124,569 (+2.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $75,700 | $71,868 (−6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $81,780 | $77,641 (−4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.