Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Chicago

Illinois

$1,490/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,620 in Charleston, SC versus $1,490 in Chicago, IL. Overall, Chicago, IL is roughly 8% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $75,134 in Chicago, IL — about 17% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Illinois has a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
Chicago, IL

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$1,186
+25% in Charleston, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$1,258
+12% in Charleston, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$1,406
+17% in Charleston, SC
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$1,554
+25% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$315,200
+33% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$75,134
+17% in Charleston, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$54,720
+11% in Chicago, IL

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
35.7 yr
+0.4 yr in Charleston, SC
Homeownership
55.6%
45.5%
+10.1 pp in Charleston, SC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
43.3%
+14.4 pp in Charleston, SC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
33.5 min
+9.7 min in Chicago, IL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
539.8
+50% in Chicago, IL
Property Crime
2,035.1
3,489.9
+71% in Chicago, IL

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
66.7°F
52.7°F
+14.0°F in Charleston, SC
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
38.0 in
+6.5 in in Charleston, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$4.29/gal
+11% in Chicago, IL

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Chicago.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.50

Adult base one-way fare — — vs CTA (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
23.9
+47% in Chicago, IL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.35
$15.39
+44% in Charleston, SC

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Chicago, IL
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Charleston, SC
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in Chicago, IL
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in Chicago, IL
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in Chicago, IL
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / IL)
6%
6.25%
+0.3 pp in IL
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
4.95%
+1.0 pp in SC

Charleston vs Chicago — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Chicago?
Chicago, IL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,490 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 8% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Chicago?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $50,000 in Chicago.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Chicago?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Chicago under Illinois's (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).