North Charleston, SC Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In North Charleston, SC Summary
Cost of living in North 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 North 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 North Charleston is 101, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in North Charleston is 1.0x higher than the national average.
North Charleston ranks as the #69 cheapest in South Carolina out of 99.
North Charleston ranks as the #2,735 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in North Charleston is $310,976.
The median income in North Charleston is $62,789.
Table Of Contents
North Charleston's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in North Charleston, SC?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, North Charleston has an overall cost of living index of 101, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to South Carolina, North Charleston has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than South Carolina's index of 93.
The standard of living in North Charleston ranks as #69 most affordable out of the 99 places we measured in South Carolina. By definition, that implies North Charleston ranks as the #30 most expensive place in the Palmetto State.
For more reading on life in North Charleston, check out:
In South Carolina
In America
North Charleston Cost Of Living Vs. South Carolina
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in North Charleston. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in North Charleston is 98.
The Groceries index in North Charleston is 103.
The Health index in North Charleston is 89.
The Housing index in North Charleston is 106.
The Transportation index in North Charleston is 89.
The Utilities index in North Charleston is 119.
| Living Expense | North Charleston | South Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 101 | 93 | 100 | |
| Services | 98 | 102 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 103 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 89 | 92 | 100 | |
| Housing | 106 | 81 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 89 | 92 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 119 | 109 | 100 | |
North 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 North Charleston is $310,976.
The Median Rent in North Charleston is $1,364.
The Median Income in North Charleston is $62,789.
The Home Value To Income in North Charleston is 5.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in North Charleston is 0.26x.
| Statistic | North Charleston | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $310,976 | $302,294 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,364 | $1,126 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $62,789 | $66,818 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.0x | 4.5x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.26x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
North Charleston, SC Costs By Category
Detailed North Charleston Services Costs Vs. South Carolina
| Item | North 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 North Charleston Groceries Costs Vs. South Carolina
| Item | North 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 North Charleston Health Costs Vs. South Carolina
| Item | North Charleston | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $78.1 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $137.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $97.17 | $113.29 |
Detailed North Charleston Transportation Costs Vs. South Carolina
| Item | North Charleston | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.18 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $46.64 | $59.92 |
Detailed North Charleston Utilities Costs Vs. South Carolina
| Item | North Charleston | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $258.5 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $194.25 | $192.25 |
North Charleston SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around North Charleston
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around North Charleston. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Charleston, SC has a cost of living index of 123, 1.2x North Charleston.
Mount Pleasant, SC has a cost of living index of 138, 1.4x North Charleston.
Summerville, SC has a cost of living index of 106, 1.0x North Charleston.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. North Charleston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, SC | 152,014 | 123 | 1.2x |
| Mount Pleasant, SC | 92,662 | 138 | 1.4x |
| Summerville, SC | 51,262 | 106 | 1.0x |
| Goose Creek, SC | 46,964 | 106 | 1.0x |
| Hanahan, SC | 21,119 | 111 | 1.1x |
| Ladson, SC | 16,261 | 101 | 1.0x |
| Moncks Corner, SC | 14,362 | 99 | 1.0x |
| James Island, SC | 11,738 | 126 | 1.2x |
| Sangaree, SC | 8,517 | 98 | 1.0x |
| Hollywood, SC | 5,330 | 107 | 1.1x |
