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Cost of living in Charleston, SC

Compared with New York. Change city

$1,443a month less for the typical home than in New York1,2

That's $17,314 a year, enough to cover 6 months of the mortgage in Charleston. The average commute is 7 minutes shorter each way, about 1.2 hours a week back4.

Typical home $479,450 vs $742,000. 2-bedroom rent3 $1,817 vs $1,997. See the math

By Sol Lakein.Checked October 2026.How we compare costs

Oak branches in Charleston, CharlestonSamantha Fortney / Unsplash
All cities
  • Beach or lakeAtlantic coast beaches
  • Walkable downtownHistoric downtown peninsula

Charleston at a glance, next to New York

5

What the median home costs each month

1,2
New York metro$4,078/mo
$742,000 typical home
Charleston$2,635/mo
$479,450 typical home

If you rent: median 2-bedroom

3
New York metro$1,997/mo
Charleston$1,817/mo
About $180 a month less in rent
Rent by apartment size in Charleston

Day-to-day costs

  • Housing costs620% pricier than averageNew York: 49% above
  • Salary that matches $150,000 in New York6$134,541
  • Net move-ins from other US metros, 2024-257+9,911
Charleston in a paragraph

The median listed home in Charleston is $479,450 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 14% above the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $2,635 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $1,817 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 101.0, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $134,541 here.

Weather

9
  • 38.9°January low
  • 91.3°July high
  • 0.3 inSnow per year

Home prices next to New York

1
Typical home for sale
New York metro$742,000
Charleston$479,450
35% less, a $262,550 difference
Price per square foot
New York metro$494
Charleston$256
1.9 times the space for the money

Your New York, in Charleston

We're matching Charleston's parks, museums, arenas and food halls to their New York counterparts. Until then, see how it works for Raleigh.

See how Charleston ranks for your household

Answer a few quick questions and see how Charleston ranks against 53 other cities for your household.

See how Charleston ranks for you

Is Charleston a good place to live?

Charleston fits families who want mild winters and nonstop flights to New York. The main trade-off is homes list 14% above the US median. Here is what you gain and what you give up.

What you gain

  • Mild wintersJanuary lows average 38.9°F with 0.3 inches of snow a year.NOAA 1991-2020 normals
  • Nonstop flights to New YorkFrom CHS to JFK, LGA, EWR.Airport route page, February 18, 2026
  • People are moving in9,911 more people moved here from other US metros than left, July 2024 to July 2025.US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025
  • Beach or lake accessAtlantic coast beachesSlower Sundays city profile
  • Walkable downtownHistoric downtown peninsulaSlower Sundays city profile

What you trade

  • Homes list 14% above the US median$479,450 median listing against $419,250 nationally.Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026
  • Hot summersJuly highs average 91.3°F.NOAA 1991-2020 normals

More on Charleston and South Carolina

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Charleston cost of living: questions people ask

What is the cost of living in Charleston, SC?

The median listed home in Charleston is $479,450 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 14% above the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $2,635 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $1,817 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 101.0, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $134,541 here.

How much would I save moving from New York to Charleston?

The median listed home is $479,450 in Charleston against $742,000 in the New York metro, 35% less. On a mortgage for each median home, that is about $1,443 a month less in principal and interest (20% down, 7.32%, Freddie Mac, October 22, 2026).

How much is rent in Charleston?

The median gross rent for a 2-bedroom in the Charleston metro is $1,817 a month, including utilities the renter pays (Census American Community Survey, 2025). In the New York metro it is $1,997, $180 more. The US median is $1,563.

What salary in Charleston matches $150,000 in New York?

$134,541. That is $150,000 adjusted by the BEA regional price parities for both metros (101.0 in Charleston, 112.6 in New York, 2024).

Does Charleston pay you to move there?

None of the relocation incentive programs we track cover Charleston as of October 2026.

What is the weather like in Charleston?

January lows average 38.9°F and July highs 91.3°F, with 0.3 inches of snow a year (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Charleston International Airport).

Notes on the numbers
  1. 1Home prices: the typical home is the median listing price, with price per square foot, from Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. The comparison metro uses the same series and month.
  2. 2Monthly cost: Principal and interest on the median listed home with 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026). Excludes taxes, insurance and HOA. Rate source
  3. 3Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, median gross rent for 2-bedroom units (rent plus utilities). Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, not only new leases. Census table
  4. 4Commute: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table S0801, mean travel time to work (one way, workers who do not work from home), 2025. Hours back assume a 5-day round trip. Census table
  5. 5At a glance: a difference within 5% counts as about the same.
  6. 6Everyday prices, housing costs and the matching salary: BEA regional price parities, 2024, US = 100.
  7. 7Net move-ins: Census Vintage 2025, via Regions Financial.
  8. 8Flights: airport route pages, October 2026.
  9. 9Weather: NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Charleston International Airport.
Sources for this page