Charleston, SC Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Charleston, SC Summary
Cost of living in Charleston research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Charleston is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in South Carolina, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Charleston is 123, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Charleston is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Charleston ranks as the #93 cheapest in South Carolina out of 99.
Charleston ranks as the #4,598 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Charleston is $579,509.
The median income in Charleston is $90,038.
Table Of Contents
Charleston's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Charleston, SC?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Charleston has an overall cost of living index of 123, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to South Carolina, Charleston has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than South Carolina's index of 93.
The standard of living in Charleston ranks as #93 most affordable out of the 99 places we measured in South Carolina. By definition, that implies Charleston ranks as the #6 most expensive place in the Palmetto State.
For more reading on life in Charleston, check out:
In South Carolina
In America
Charleston Cost Of Living Vs. South Carolina
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Charleston. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Charleston is 98.
The Groceries index in Charleston is 102.
The Health index in Charleston is 88.
The Housing index in Charleston is 175.
The Transportation index in Charleston is 88.
The Utilities index in Charleston is 123.
| Living Expense | Charleston | South Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 123 | 93 | 100 | |
| Services | 98 | 102 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 102 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 88 | 92 | 100 | |
| Housing | 175 | 81 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 88 | 92 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 123 | 109 | 100 | |
Charleston, SC Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in South Carolina, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Charleston is $579,509.
The Median Rent in Charleston is $1,632.
The Median Income in Charleston is $90,038.
The Home Value To Income in Charleston is 6.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Charleston is 0.22x.
| Statistic | Charleston | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $579,509 | $302,294 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,632 | $1,126 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $90,038 | $66,818 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 6.4x | 4.5x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.22x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Charleston, SC Costs By Category
Detailed Charleston Services Costs Vs. South Carolina
| Item | Charleston | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.38 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $11.3 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $19.43 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.38 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $56.15 | $45.56 |
Detailed Charleston Groceries Costs Vs. South Carolina
| Item | Charleston | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.22 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.67 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.59 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.51 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.83 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.61 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.77 | $3.7 |
Detailed Charleston Health Costs Vs. South Carolina
| Item | Charleston | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $78.1 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $137.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $97.17 | $113.29 |
Detailed Charleston Transportation Costs Vs. South Carolina
| Item | Charleston | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.18 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $46.64 | $59.92 |
Detailed Charleston Utilities Costs Vs. South Carolina
| Item | Charleston | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $258.5 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $194.25 | $192.25 |
Charleston SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Charleston
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Charleston. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
North Charleston, SC has a cost of living index of 101, 0.8x Charleston.
Mount Pleasant, SC has a cost of living index of 138, 1.1x Charleston.
Summerville, SC has a cost of living index of 106, 0.9x Charleston.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Charleston, SC | 117,460 | 101 | 0.8x |
| Mount Pleasant, SC | 92,662 | 138 | 1.1x |
| Summerville, SC | 51,262 | 106 | 0.9x |
| Goose Creek, SC | 46,964 | 106 | 0.9x |
| Hanahan, SC | 21,119 | 111 | 0.9x |
| Ladson, SC | 16,261 | 101 | 0.8x |
| James Island, SC | 11,738 | 126 | 1.0x |
| Sangaree, SC | 8,517 | 98 | 0.8x |
| Hollywood, SC | 5,330 | 107 | 0.9x |
