Relocation: Charleston Metro, SC to Houston-Pasadena, TX
Data updated · Sources: HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology
Income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents and EPI living costs for a move from Charleston-North Charleston, SC to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
Interactive Purchasing Power Equivalency Workbench
Adjust your current salary at origin to dynamically compute the statutory tax burden, housing costs, and discretionary cash in both markets.
Charleston-North Charleston, SC
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Charleston-North Charleston (Monthly) | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,731 | $1,261 | -$470 | -27.2% |
| Food & Groceries | $380 | $321 | -$59 | -15.5% |
| Transportation | $1,060 | $1,015 | -$45 | -4.2% |
| Healthcare | $429 | $422 | -$7 | -1.6% |
| Other Necessities | $609 | $480 | -$129 | -21.2% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,089 | $1,735 | -$354 | -16.9% |
HUD Fair Market Rent Differential
EPI Living Wage Benchmark Comparison
Top Local Occupations Wage Parity
BLS median wage comparisons across benchmark roles between both metropolitan labor markets.
| Occupation Title | Industry Sector | Charleston-North Charleston Median | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $109,260 | $119,600 | +$10,340 (+9.5%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $92,800 | $99,830 | +$7,030 (+7.6%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $94,730 | $99,510 | +$4,780 (+5.0%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $79,350 | $85,090 | +$5,740 (+7.2%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $132,150 | $129,440 | -$2,710 (-2.1%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $59,010 | $59,180 | +$170 (+0.3%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $147,170 | $166,910 | +$19,740 (+13.4%) | View Dossier |
| Industrial Machinery MechanicIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $60,950 | $63,180 | +$2,230 (+3.7%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $139,830 | $135,880 | -$3,950 (-2.8%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $50,470 | $46,630 | -$3,840 (-7.6%) | View Dossier |
| Construction ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $107,610 | $103,530 | -$4,080 (-3.8%) | View Dossier |
| WelderSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $56,060 | $57,940 | +$1,880 (+3.4%) | View Dossier |
Major US Inter-Metro Relocation Corridors
Empirical cost differentials and statutory tax savings across high-volume migration routes.
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $14,388 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $6,211 less tax and $17,676 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,805 less tax and $2,928 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,729 less tax and $19,884 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,113 less tax and $10,908 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $3,761 more tax and $4,188 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,299 less tax and $11,592 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $7,296 less 1BR rent a year
Charleston-North Charleston, SC to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX Relocation FAQs
About $78,700. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (136.5 in Charleston-North Charleston, SC, 107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Charleston-North Charleston, SC to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Charleston-North Charleston, SC to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Charleston Metro, SC to Houston-Pasadena, TX compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $78,700. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (136.5 in Charleston-North Charleston, SC, 107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 21.3% lower in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX than in Charleston-North Charleston, SC. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.