Cost of Living in Charleston, SC
Charleston-North Charleston, SC — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in Charleston, SC to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
How expensive is Charleston, SC?
With a price level of 101.0 (U.S. average = 100), Charleston, SC is close to the national average. In detail, housing costs run 20% above average; everyday goods are 4% below average; utilities are 12% below average; other services such as healthcare and dining are 2% below average. The biggest difference from the national average is in housing.
Prices in Charleston, SC vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Index (U.S. = 100) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 101.0 | +1.0% |
| Housing | 119.8 | +19.8% |
| Goods | 96.3 | −3.7% |
| Utilities | 88.2 | −11.8% |
| Other services | 98.3 | −1.7% |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Rent in Charleston, SC
| Unit | Monthly rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,557 | $62,280/yr |
| 1 bedroom | $1,630 | $65,200/yr |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,787 | $71,480/yr |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,222 | $88,880/yr |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,562 | $102,480/yr |
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026, population-weighted across the metro's counties.
Salary needed to live in Charleston, SC
To keep the same standard of living as in an average-priced U.S. city, you would need to earn roughly:
| Salary in an average U.S. city | Equivalent in Charleston, SC | Take-home here |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $40,400 | $33,375 |
| $60,000 | $60,600 | $48,393 |
| $80,000 | $80,800 | $61,982 |
| $100,000 | $101,000 | $74,981 |
| $150,000 | $151,400 | $106,821 |
Scaled by the BEA price level (pre-tax). Take-home: single filer, South Carolina 2026 taxes. For a tax-aware comparison with a specific city, use the calculator above.
A monthly budget on the median wage
A single worker earning Charleston, SC's median wage of $49,150 takes home about $3,323 a month. A typical one-bedroom rents for $1,630, which is 49% of take-home pay — well above the 30% guideline, so many workers here share housing or rent smaller units. That leaves about $1,693 a month for everything else.
Take-home pay in Charleston, SC
- Federal income tax$3,718
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,047
- Medicare (1.45%)$713
- South Carolina income tax$1,792
- Take-home pay$39,880
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
Highest-paying jobs in Charleston, SC
*In U.S.-average dollars after adjusting for local prices.
Pay and living costs in South Carolina cities
Half of South Carolina’s 2,305,080 workers earn less than $46,490 a year and half earn more; the middle 50% earn $34,630–$70,340 (BLS, May 2025). Prices vary a lot within the state: Spartanburg, SC stretches a paycheck furthest, while Myrtle Beach, SC is the costliest.
| Metro area | Median pay | Price level | 1-BR rent | Rent share | Left after rent / mo | Buying power* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | $49,990 | 97.3 | $1,428 | 42% | $1,947 | $41,608 |
| Greenville, SC | $46,580 | 93.3 | $1,155 | 37% | $2,009 | $40,713 |
| Columbia, SC | $46,430 | 93.7 | $1,139 | 36% | $2,016 | $40,420 |
| Charleston, SC | $49,150 | 101.0 | $1,630 | 49% | $1,693 | $39,500 |
| Augusta, GA | $45,990 | 91.9 | $1,110 | 35% | $2,018 | $40,837 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $47,650 | 91.1 | $1,061 | 33% | $2,169 | $42,575 |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | $37,930 | 93.6 | $1,229 | 47% | $1,399 | $33,679 |
| Florence, SC | $43,520 | 86.8 | $922 | 31% | $2,053 | $41,135 |
| Hilton Head Island, SC | $43,850 | 98.0 | $1,623 | 54% | $1,372 | $36,667 |
| Sumter, SC | $42,890 | 88.0 | $972 | 33% | $1,963 | $40,020 |
*Yearly take-home pay (on each metro’s median wage, single filer) in U.S.-average dollars. Price level: BEA RPP 2024 (U.S. = 100). Rent: HUD FY2026 one-bedroom fair market rent.
Charleston, SC vs. similar-size cities
| Metro area | Price level | 1-BR rent | Median wage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, SC | 101.0 | $1,630 | $49,150 | 394,170 |
| Boise City, ID | 98.4 | $1,369 | $49,100 | 391,790 |
| Tucson, AZ | 96.9 | $1,081 | $47,760 | 389,630 |
| Des Moines, IA | 91.7 | $1,092 | $51,820 | 404,130 |
| Bridgeport, CT | 106.9 | $2,100 | $61,470 | 404,180 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 95.5 | $1,185 | $48,060 | 404,700 |
| Madison, WI | 97.3 | $1,377 | $58,080 | 408,070 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Charleston, SC expensive to live in?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall prices in the Charleston-North Charleston, SC metro area are 101.0% of the U.S. average, with housing at 119.8%. It is the #68 most expensive of 387 metro areas we track.
What salary do you need to live in Charleston, SC?
To match the buying power of a $60,000 salary in an average-priced U.S. city you would need about $60,577 in Charleston, SC (before tax differences). The median wage across all jobs here is $49,150.
Can you afford Charleston, SC on the median wage?
A single worker on the $49,150 median wage takes home about $3,323 a month after 2026 taxes; a one-bedroom at $1,630 would take 49% of that.
How much is rent in Charleston, SC?
HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for Charleston, SC are $1,557 for a studio, $1,630 for one bedroom, $1,787 for two bedrooms and $2,222 for three bedrooms, including utilities.
Top salaries by field in Charleston, SC
Management Occupations
- General and Operations Manager — $109,260
Business and Financial Operations Occupations
- Management Analyst — $104,650
- Project Management Specialist — $94,730
- Accountant and Auditor — $79,350
- Business Operations Specialists, All Other — $79,110
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $65,280
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education — $61,020
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary — $28,040
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- Registered Nurse — $92,800
Healthcare Support Occupations
- Nursing Assistant — $38,810
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $34,100
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $43,620
- Cooks, Restaurant — $36,710
- Food Preparation Worker — $36,220
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $28,500
- Bartender — $19,630
- Waiter and Waitress — $19,340
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker — $37,720
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners — $35,240
- Maid and Housekeeping Cleaner — $33,990
Sales and Related Occupations
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products — $64,120
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel — $62,600
- First-Line Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers — $49,690
- Retail Salesperson — $34,090
- Cashier — $30,130
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $65,910
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $50,400
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive — $47,750
- Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $44,640
- Customer Service Representative — $44,000
- Office Clerks, General — $39,250
Construction and Extraction Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $77,470
- Construction Laborer — $43,630
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
- Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic — $49,120
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General — $48,540
Production Occupations
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $48,180
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $55,150
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $46,890
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $38,090
- Stocker and Order Filler — $36,620