What does a Cooks, Fast Food salary really buy you in South Carolina?
South Carolina is 6.4% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
South Carolina's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 93.6, meaning prices are 6.4% lower the national average. A Cooks, Fast Food earning $23,930 in South Carolina has the equivalent purchasing power of $25,566 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for South Carolina's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $20,560 | $21,965 | +$1,405 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $22,250 | $23,771 | +$1,521 |
| Median (P50) | $23,930 | $25,566 | +$1,636 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $28,980 | $30,961 | +$1,981 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $33,390 | $35,673 | +$2,283 |
A Cooks, Fast Food in South Carolina earns $23,930 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 7% further — like earning $25,566 in an average-cost state. This makes South Carolina one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Cooks, Fast Food salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
South Carolina ranks #46 out of 50 states for Cooks, Fast Food after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Cooks, Fast Food in South Carolina earns a median salary of $23,930 per year. After adjusting for South Carolina's cost of living (RPP=93.6), the real purchasing power is $25,566 — a +6.8% difference.
South Carolina's cost of living is 6.4% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for South Carolina is 93.6 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Cooks, Fast Food in South Carolina: $23,930 x (100 / 93.6) = $25,566. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Cooks, Fast Food in South Carolina enjoys 6.8% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.