City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Greenville, SC (93.3) and Tallahassee, FL (93.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Greenville, SC goes as far as $100,700 in Tallahassee, FL.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,221 a month in Greenville, SC and $1,204 in Tallahassee, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Greenville, SC than in Tallahassee, 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 Greenville, SC to Tallahassee, FL changes real buying power by −0.7%, purely from prices.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (cheaper)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Greenville, SC | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,707 in Tallahassee | $99,298 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Tallahassee, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
67 Fair offer
Tallahassee, FL → Greenville, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
71 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 Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Greenville → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $55,020 | $54,634 (−10.0%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $121,800 | $120,945 (−0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $61,840 | $61,406 (−20.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $79,430 | $78,873 (−3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.