Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Denver?

Charleston, SC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,620 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Denver, CO's $1,750, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Denver?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $63,000 in Denver.

Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Denver?

Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Denver under Colorado's (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax).

Charleston vs Denver Cost of Living 2026

Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

Denver

Colorado

$1,750/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 $1,750 in Denver, CO. Overall, Charleston, SC is roughly 7% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Denver, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $91,681 in Denver, CO — about 2% higher in Denver, CO. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC

Denver, CO

Rent

Studio

$1,579

$1,497

+5% in Charleston, SC

1 Bedroom

$1,430

$1,583

+11% in Denver, CO

2 Bedroom

$1,684

$1,958

+16% in Denver, CO

3 Bedroom

$2,076

$2,269

+9% in Denver, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$469,100

$586,700

+25% in Denver, CO

Income

Median Household Income

$90,038

$91,681

+2% in Denver, CO

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,150

$62,320

+27% in Denver, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.1 yr

35.2 yr

+0.9 yr in Charleston, SC

Homeownership

55.6%

49.1%

+6.5 pp in Charleston, SC

Bachelor's+ (25+)

57.7%

55.6%

+2.1 pp in Charleston, SC

Avg Commute

23.8 min

25.4 min

+1.6 min in Denver, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

358.8

999.3

+179% in Denver, CO

Property Crime

2,035.1

4,781.1

+135% in Denver, CO

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

50.2°F

+16.5°F in Charleston, SC

Annual Precipitation

44.4 in

15.6 in

+28.8 in in Charleston, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.86/gal

$4.27/gal

+11% in Denver, CO

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Denver.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.75

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.2

+0% in Charleston, SC

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$27.35

$11.92

+56% in Charleston, SC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Denver, CO

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Denver, CO

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Charleston, SC

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Denver, CO

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Denver, CO

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Denver, CO

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / CO)

2.9%

+3.1 pp in SC

Income Tax (top rate)

6.00%

4.40%

+1.6 pp in SC

Charleston vs Denver — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Denver?: Charleston, SC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,620 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Denver, CO's $1,750, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Denver?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $63,000 in Denver.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Denver?: Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Denver under Colorado's (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% 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).