Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Fort Worth

Texas

$1,390/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 $1,390 in Fort Worth, TX. Overall, Fort Worth, TX is roughly 14% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $76,602 in Fort Worth, TX — about 15% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
Fort Worth, TX

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$1,310
+17% in Charleston, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$1,191
+17% in Charleston, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$1,393
+17% in Charleston, SC
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$1,721
+17% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$277,300
+41% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$76,602
+15% in Charleston, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$51,440
+5% in Fort Worth, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
33.4 yr
+2.7 yr in Charleston, SC
Homeownership
55.6%
56.7%
+1.1 pp in Fort Worth, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
31.7%
+26.0 pp in Charleston, SC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
26.9 min
+3.1 min in Fort Worth, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
465.2
+30% in Fort Worth, TX
Property Crime
2,035.1
2,735.7
+34% in Fort Worth, TX

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
65.7°F
+1.0°F in Charleston, SC
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
36.1 in
+8.3 in in Charleston, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.62/gal
+6% in Charleston, SC

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Texas.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
16.4
+2% in Fort Worth, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.35
$30.48
+11% in Fort Worth, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / TX)
6%
6.25%
+0.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
None
+6.0 pp in SC

Charleston vs Fort Worth — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Fort Worth?
Fort Worth, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,390 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Fort Worth?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $48,000 in Fort Worth.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Fort Worth?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Fort Worth under Texas's (no state income tax 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).