City comparison
Myrtle Beach, SC vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Myrtle Beach, SC (93.6) and Roanoke, VA (93.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Myrtle Beach, SC goes as far as $100,000 in Roanoke, VA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,229 a month in Myrtle Beach, SC versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Myrtle Beach, SC and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $4,936 in VA.
- 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 Myrtle Beach, SC to Roanoke, VA changes real buying power by +0.0%, purely from prices.
- Myrtle Beach, SC: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Myrtle Beach, SC | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,974 in Roanoke | $100,026 in Myrtle Beach |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,229/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $37,930 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Myrtle Beach | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 83.1 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 88.0 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Myrtle Beach, SC → Roanoke, VA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$93/yr.
69 Fair offer
Roanoke, VA → Myrtle Beach, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$93/yr.
69 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 Myrtle Beach, SC to Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Myrtle Beach, SC | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Myrtle Beach → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Myrtle Beach, SC | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Myrtle Beach dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | not published | $62,010 | — |
| Software Developers | not published | $121,110 | — |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,520 | $77,240 | $77,260 (+3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,640 | $80,090 | $80,111 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.