Cost of Living in Charleston, SC, United States

Updated On June 23, 2023

How Much Does It Cost to Live In Charleston, SC?

Searching for an affordable living, people tend to explore all the possible places in the world until they find what they were looking for.

Although housing and utility costs might be the highest expenses and the greatest concern when it comes to the budget, other costs also play a major role here.

In the United States, Charleston is the city that has everything and which is so attractive due to pretty high incomes that so many people want to make a home here.

Cost of Living Index:
72.4
* Based on Research & User Data
Restaurants

RESTAURANTS

The cost of living in Charleston is close to average, which means that it is better to live here than in other major cities.

And whether you will have enough money and will visit local restaurants depends on your living habits, but it can be said that alcohol is pretty expensive.

Markets

MARKETS

When we speak about the general cost of living for any city, food is the expense that is of utmost importance and takes the most money.

Purchasing everyday goods is necessary for a living and if you are a savvy person, you would do that at local markets where the prices are more reasonable.

Transportation

TRANSPORTATION

To get a better idea of how to commute in Charleston, it is good to know that the majority of its citizens possess a car and drive, so the busy streets are frequent here.

That is why it is advisable to use public transport which is efficient and not too expensive.

Utilities

UTILITIES (MONTHLY)

Once you have found a perfect home, another cost that awaits you is the price of utilities which is not low in the USA.

Charleston is among those cities where the costs of basic services are above $200, while the price of the Internet is high.

Sports and leisure

SPORTS & LEISURE

Outdoor adventures are just steps away, and many people enjoy doing sports and invest a lot in exercising.

If you are more like doing it indoors, you can choose one of many fitness clubs at the price of $33, which is considered affordable here.

Clothing and shoes

CLOTHING & SHOES

Charleston’s growing popularity means that a great number of tourists visit it and this affects the prices of clothing items, as tourists like shopping for clothes.

When the citizens of Charleston are in question, they do not give much money for apparel, even though designer clothing is not too expensive.

Rent per month

RENT PER MONTH

The first category that you should pay attention to when coming here is the housing expense category as housing costs can vary by the location in the city.

No matter where you decide to settle, the rent prices are high and affordable only to those with average salaries.

Cost of Living Averages Table for Charleston, SC

*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.
Average Restaurant Prices
Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant)$20.00
Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter)$4.00
Water (0.33 Liter)$1.67
Average Market Prices
Milk (1 Liter)$0.80
Loaf Bread (500g)$2.18
Eggs (12)$4.00
Average Transport Prices
One Way Ticket$2.00
Monthly Pass$57.00
Gasoline$0.86
Average Utilities Prices
Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling)$234.75
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local$0.10
Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL)$64.62
Average Leisure Prices
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult$33.17
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour)$22.50
Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release$12.00
Average Clothing Prices
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable)$44.8
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...)$52.5
1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range)$79.29
Average Rent Prices
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center$2133.33
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center$1643.75
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center$4000.00

How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Charleston, SC?

Once you move, it might be difficult to make adjustments in a number of ways and get used to new prices.

It might not differ much from your home city, but it is good to know them before settling somewhere.

The citizens of your new hometown would have almost equal spending as you unless you enjoy luxurious life.

In general, the greatest amount of money goes for food, rent, and transportation, while the least is given to clothing and leisure.

Average Costs Breakdown

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Charleston, SC: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages

Whether you think that relocation to Charleston, South Carolina is a good idea, just make sure that the cost of living there would match your salary, meaning whether you will be able to afford a decent life.

To begin your research, besides looking at the cost of living it is necessary to know that there is a huge difference between the minimum and average salary and that living on the minimum would be quite a struggle here, because you will need to pay the rent.

Average Salary$4122.22
Minimum Wage$1256.7
Mortgage Interest Rate6.71%

Charleston Safety Overview

READ THE FULL REPORT: Charleston Safety Review

Safety Index:
70
  • OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
  • TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
  • PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
  • NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
  • MUGGING RISK: LOW
  • TERRORISM RISK: MEDIUM
  • SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
  • WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Cost of Living by City in Charleston, SC

CityCost of Living Index
Albany, NY72.4
Albuquerque, NM72.4
Anchorage, AK72.4
Ann Arbor, MI72.4
Arlington, TX72.4
Asheville, NC72.4
Atlanta, GA72.4
Austin, TX72.4
Bakersfield, CA72.4
Baltimore, MD72.4
Bellevue, WA72.4
Bellingham, WA72.4
Berkeley, CA72.4
Birmingham, AL72.4
Boise, ID72.4
Boston, MA72.4
Boulder, CO72.4
Brooklyn, NY72.4
Buffalo, NY72.4
Burlington, VT72.4
Charlotte, NC73.33
Chattanooga, TN72.4
Chicago, IL72.4
Cincinnati, OH72.4
Cleveland, OH72.4
Columbia, SC72.4
Columbus, OH72.4
Dallas, TX72.4
Dayton, OH72.4
Denver, CO72.4
Des Moines, IA72.4
Detroit, MI72.4
El Paso, TX72.4
Eugene, OR72.4
Everett, WA72.4
Fayetteville, AR72.4
Fort Myers, FL72.4
Fort Wayne, IN72.4
Fort Worth, TX72.4
Fresno, CA74.2
Gainesville, FL74.2
Grand Rapids, MI74.2
Greensboro, NC74.2
Hartford, CT74.2
Honolulu, HI74.2
Houston, TX74.2
Huntsville, AL74.2
Indianapolis, IN74.2
Irvine, CA74.2
Jacksonville, FL74.2
Jersey City, NJ74.2
Kansas City, MO74.2
Knoxville, TN74.2
Las Vegas, NV74.2
Lexington, KY74.2
Little Rock, AR74.2
Long Beach, CA74.2
Los Angeles, CA74.2
Louisville, KY74.2
Lubbock, TX74.2
Madison, WI74.2
Memphis, TN74.2
Miami, FL74.2
Milwaukee, WI74.2
Minneapolis, MN74.2
Nashville, TN74.2
New Orleans, LA74.2
New York, NY74.2
Oakland, CA74.2
Oklahoma City, OK74.2
Olympia, WA74.2
Orlando, FL74.2
Peoria, IL72.4
Philadelphia, PA72.4
Phoenix, AZ72.4
Pittsburgh, PA72.4
Portland, ME72.4
Portland, OR72.4
Raleigh, NC72.4
Reno, NV72.4
Richmond, VA74.2
Rochester, NY74.2
Sacramento, CA74.2
Saint Louis, MO74.2
Saint Paul, MN74.2
Saint Petersburg, FL74.2
Salem, OR74.2
Salt Lake City, UT74.2
San Antonio, TX74.2
San Diego, CA74.2
San Francisco, CA74.2
San Jose, CA74.2
Santa Barbara, CA74.2
Santa Rosa, CA74.2
Seattle, WA74.2
Spokane, WA74.2
Springfield, MO74.2
Syracuse, NY74.2
Tacoma, WA74.2
Tallahassee, FL74.2
Tampa, FL74.2
Toledo, OH74.2
Tucson, AZ74.2
Tulsa, OK74.2
Vancouver, WA74.2
Virginia Beach, VA74.2
Washington, DC74.2
West Palm Beach, FL74.2
Wichita, KS74.2

Where to Next?

See these related locations:

Or, browse the country/city indexes:

Cost of Living - Country Index Cost of Living - City Index

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