Cost of living in Charleston

In Charleston, United States, a family of four typically needs around $6462 per month including rent. A single person may spend about $2660 monthly.

How expensive is Charleston compared to other cities?

Compared to the European benchmark, Charleston is 86% more expensive overall.

How does Charleston compare to your city?

Charleston is 38% more expensive than Columbus, without rent.

Rent in Charleston is, on average, 26% higher than in Columbus.

What drives the cost of living in Charleston?

Who is Charleston a good fit for?

Charleston tends to fit higher-income residents who can comfortably absorb housing costs. It can be challenging on a moderate budget, mainly due to rent and utilities.

FAQ

Why is Charleston so expensive?

The high cost of living in Charleston is largely driven by rent and utilities, which significantly impact overall expenses.

Is food expensive in Charleston?

Yes, food costs in Charleston are 55% higher than the European benchmark.

Is public transport affordable in Charleston?

Public transport in Charleston is 25% lower than the European benchmark, making it relatively affordable.

Cost of living breakdown

Cost of Living, one person, including rent
2660 $
Without Rent
938 $
Rent & Utilities
1721 $
Food
739 $
Transport
56 $
Monthly Salary, after tax
4685 $
GDP per Capita
81,695 $
Freedom Index
8.39
Lifespan
77 years
Speak English
96%
Population
150.0K

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Update Prices

Restaurants

Lunch menu, inexpensive restaurant 25.1 $
Dinner 120 $
Fast food, McDonalds or KFC 10 $
Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz 7.02 $
Capuccino 5.25 $
Coke, 330ml 2.35 $

Compare Charleston with:

Markets

Milk, 1 L or 1 qt 0.96 $
Bread, 0.5 kg or 1 lb 3.51 $
Rice, 1 kg or 2 lb 3.98 $
Eggs, 12 pack 4.28 $
Cheese, 1 kg or 2 lb 11.3 $
Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2 lb 14 $
Round Steak, 1 kg or 2 lb 18.5 $
Apples, 1 kg or 2 lb 8.09 $
Banana, 1 kg or 2 lb 1.42 $
Oranges, 1 kg or 2 lb 6.01 $
Tomato, 1 kg or 2 lb 5.62 $
Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb 4 $
Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb 3.4 $
Water, 1 L or 1 qt 1.33 $
Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz 2.84 $
Wine, 750 mL bottle 18.2 $
Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz 1.65 $
Cigarette pack 7.05 $

Transportation

One-way Ticket 2.02 $
Monthly Pass 57.2 $
Gas or Petrol, 1l or 0.26 gal 0.85 $
Taxi, 8 km 15.7 $

Personal Care

Doctor Visit, private clinic 99.9 $
Cold medicine, for 1 week 9.2 $
Hair Shampoo, 400 ml or 12 oz. 5.49 $
Toilet paper, 4 rolls 3.95 $
Toothpaste, 1 tube 2.01 $

Utilities per Month

1 person, electricity, heating, water & garbage 157 $
Family of 4, electricity, heating, water & garbage 241 $
Internet plan, +60 Mbps 64.3 $

Rent per Month

1 Bedroom Apartment, outside of center, 40 sq.m 1,388 $
3 Bedroom Apartment, outside of center, 85 sq.m 2,589 $
1 Bedroom Apartment, in city center, 40 sq.m 1,949 $
3 Bedroom Apartment, in city center, 85 sq.m 4,411 $

Buy Apartment Price

Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment, in city center 4,191 $
Price per Square Meter to Buy House, in suburbs 3,13 $

Salaries and Financing

Average Monthly Net Salary, after tax 4,685 $
Mortgage Interest Rate, for 20 years fixed-rate 6.61%

Sports and Leisure

Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 28.9 $
Cinema, 1 seat 12.2 $
Haircut 16.7 $

Clothing and Shoes

Brand Sneakers, mid-range, Nike or similar 97.3 $
Brand Jeans, Levis 501 56.9 $

Childcare

Preschool, full day, monthly for 1 child 1,545 $
International Primary School, yearly for 1 child 26,099 $

Compare Charleston with other top cities

Cayman Islands
Charleston vs George Town (George Town is 37% more expensive)
Bahamas
Charleston vs Nassau (Nassau is 4% more expensive) Charleston vs Freeport (Freeport is 17% less expensive)
Vanuatu
Charleston vs Port Vila (Port Vila is 12% less expensive) Charleston vs Luganville (Luganville is 15% more expensive)
United States
Charleston vs New York City (New York City is 52% more expensive) Charleston vs Los Angeles (Los Angeles is 20% more expensive) Charleston vs Chicago (Chicago is 0% more expensive) Charleston vs Houston (Houston is 15% less expensive) Charleston vs Phoenix (Phoenix is 11% less expensive) Charleston vs Philadelphia (Philadelphia is 4% less expensive) Charleston vs San Antonio (San Antonio is 18% less expensive) Charleston vs San Diego (San Diego is 26% more expensive) Charleston vs Dallas (Dallas is 4% less expensive) Charleston vs San Jose (San Jose is 38% more expensive)
Canada
Charleston vs Toronto (Toronto is 3% less expensive) Charleston vs Montreal (Montreal is 27% less expensive) Charleston vs Calgary (Calgary is 19% less expensive) Charleston vs Ottawa (Ottawa is 16% less expensive) Charleston vs Edmonton (Edmonton is 33% less expensive) Charleston vs Winnipeg (Winnipeg is 34% less expensive) Charleston vs Mississauga (Mississauga is 7% less expensive) Charleston vs Vancouver (Vancouver is 0% less expensive) Charleston vs Brampton (Brampton is 20% less expensive) Charleston vs Hamilton (Hamilton is 19% less expensive)
Barbados
Charleston vs Bridgetown (Bridgetown is 49% less expensive) Charleston vs Holetown (Holetown is 48% less expensive)
Panama
Charleston vs Panama City (Panama City is 48% less expensive) Charleston vs Colon (Colon is 56% less expensive) Charleston vs Tocumen (Tocumen is 54% less expensive) Charleston vs Santiago de Veraguas (Santiago de Veraguas is 60% less expensive) Charleston vs David (David is 69% less expensive) Charleston vs La Chorrera (La Chorrera is 64% less expensive) Charleston vs Balboa (Balboa is 53% less expensive) Charleston vs Pacora (Pacora is 53% less expensive) Charleston vs Chitre (Chitre is 59% less expensive) Charleston vs Penonome (Penonome is 59% less expensive)
Saint Kitts And Nevis
Charleston vs Basseterre (Basseterre is 53% less expensive) Charleston vs Cayon (Cayon is 53% less expensive)
Cuba
Charleston vs Havana (Havana is 62% less expensive) Charleston vs Santiago de Cuba (Santiago de Cuba is 47% less expensive) Charleston vs Holguin (Holguin is 52% less expensive) Charleston vs Camaguey (Camaguey is 43% less expensive) Charleston vs Santa Clara (Santa Clara is 60% less expensive) Charleston vs Bayamo (Bayamo is 56% less expensive) Charleston vs Guantanamo (Guantanamo is 41% less expensive) Charleston vs Las Tunas (Las Tunas is 42% less expensive) Charleston vs Pinar del Rio (Pinar del Rio is 59% less expensive) Charleston vs Cienfuegos (Cienfuegos is 67% less expensive)
Costa Rica
Charleston vs San Jose (San Jose is 53% less expensive) Charleston vs Limon (Limon is 55% less expensive) Charleston vs Liberia (Liberia is 66% less expensive) Charleston vs Alajuela (Alajuela is 54% less expensive) Charleston vs Puntarenas (Puntarenas is 52% less expensive) Charleston vs Cartago (Cartago is 64% less expensive) Charleston vs Heredia (Heredia is 53% less expensive) Charleston vs Tamarindo (Tamarindo is 37% less expensive) Charleston vs Santa Teresa (Santa Teresa is 51% less expensive)
Saint Lucia
Charleston vs Castries (Castries is 56% less expensive) Charleston vs Vieux Fort (Vieux Fort is 55% less expensive)
Jamaica
Charleston vs Kingston (Kingston is 50% less expensive) Charleston vs Spanish Town (Spanish Town is 71% less expensive) Charleston vs Montego Bay (Montego Bay is 62% less expensive) Charleston vs Half Way Tree (Half Way Tree is 56% less expensive) Charleston vs May Pen (May Pen is 69% less expensive) Charleston vs Mandeville (Mandeville is 63% less expensive) Charleston vs Old Harbour (Old Harbour is 68% less expensive) Charleston vs Linstead (Linstead is 61% less expensive) Charleston vs Savanna-la-Mar (Savanna-la-Mar is 58% less expensive) Charleston vs Port Antonio (Port Antonio is 57% less expensive)
El Salvador
Charleston vs San Salvador (San Salvador is 55% less expensive) Charleston vs Santa Ana (Santa Ana is 73% less expensive) Charleston vs Soyapango (Soyapango is 56% less expensive) Charleston vs San Miguel (San Miguel is 59% less expensive) Charleston vs Mejicanos (Mejicanos is 56% less expensive) Charleston vs Apopa (Apopa is 57% less expensive) Charleston vs Santa Tecla (Santa Tecla is 55% less expensive) Charleston vs Ahuachapan (Ahuachapan is 45% less expensive) Charleston vs Usulutan (Usulutan is 59% less expensive) Charleston vs Sonsonate (Sonsonate is 67% less expensive)
Antigua And Barbuda
Charleston vs St. John's (St. John's is 59% less expensive) Charleston vs All Saints (All Saints is 59% less expensive)
Grenada
Charleston vs St. George's (St. George's is 60% less expensive) Charleston vs Grenville (Grenville is 60% less expensive)
Dominica
Charleston vs Roseau (Roseau is 62% less expensive) Charleston vs Portsmouth (Portsmouth is 57% less expensive)
Saint Vincent
Charleston vs Kingstown (Kingstown is 63% less expensive) Charleston vs Georgetown (Georgetown is 62% less expensive)
Belize
Charleston vs Belize City (Belize City is 67% less expensive) Charleston vs San Ignacio (San Ignacio is 59% less expensive) Charleston vs Belmopan (Belmopan is 73% less expensive) Charleston vs San Pedro Town (San Pedro Town is 50% less expensive) Charleston vs Caye Caulker (Caye Caulker is 41% less expensive)
Guatemala
Charleston vs Guatemala City (Guatemala City is 62% less expensive) Charleston vs Mixco (Mixco is 76% less expensive) Charleston vs Coban (Coban is 66% less expensive) Charleston vs Quetzaltenango (Quetzaltenango is 71% less expensive) Charleston vs Jalapa (Jalapa is 66% less expensive) Charleston vs San Miguel Petapa (San Miguel Petapa is 66% less expensive) Charleston vs Momostenango (Momostenango is 67% less expensive) Charleston vs Mazatenango (Mazatenango is 67% less expensive) Charleston vs Flores (Flores is 68% less expensive) Charleston vs Panajachel (Panajachel is 70% less expensive)
Honduras
Charleston vs Tegucigalpa (Tegucigalpa is 69% less expensive) Charleston vs San Pedro Sula (San Pedro Sula is 61% less expensive) Charleston vs Choloma (Choloma is 77% less expensive) Charleston vs La Ceiba (La Ceiba is 76% less expensive) Charleston vs El Progreso (El Progreso is 67% less expensive) Charleston vs Villanueva (Villanueva is 67% less expensive) Charleston vs Comayagua (Comayagua is 73% less expensive) Charleston vs Puerto Cortes (Puerto Cortes is 73% less expensive) Charleston vs Yoro (Yoro is 72% less expensive) Charleston vs La Lima (La Lima is 67% less expensive)
Dominican Republic
Charleston vs Santiago de los Caballeros (Santiago de los Caballeros is 70% less expensive) Charleston vs Santo Domingo (Santo Domingo is 61% less expensive) Charleston vs Puerto Plata (Puerto Plata is 71% less expensive) Charleston vs Higuey (Higuey is 71% less expensive) Charleston vs La Vega (La Vega is 78% less expensive) Charleston vs San Cristobal (San Cristobal is 69% less expensive) Charleston vs San Pedro de Macoris (San Pedro de Macoris is 73% less expensive) Charleston vs San Francisco de Macoris (San Francisco de Macoris is 80% less expensive) Charleston vs San Juan de la Maguana (San Juan de la Maguana is 77% less expensive) Charleston vs Bonao (Bonao is 80% less expensive)
Nicaragua
Charleston vs Managua (Managua is 71% less expensive) Charleston vs Leon (Leon is 76% less expensive) Charleston vs Masaya (Masaya is 73% less expensive) Charleston vs Matagalpa (Matagalpa is 79% less expensive) Charleston vs Chinandega (Chinandega is 76% less expensive) Charleston vs Esteli (Esteli is 78% less expensive) Charleston vs Granada (Granada is 74% less expensive) Charleston vs Jinotega (Jinotega is 83% less expensive) Charleston vs Juigalpa (Juigalpa is 75% less expensive) Charleston vs San Juan del Sur (San Juan del Sur is 67% less expensive)