Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Hartford?

Hartford, CT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 20% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $42,000 in Hartford.

Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Hartford?

Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Hartford under Connecticut's (a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% state sales tax).

Charleston vs Hartford Cost of Living 2026

Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

Hartford

Connecticut

$1,300/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 $1,300 in Hartford, CT. Overall, Hartford, CT is roughly 20% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $45,300 in Hartford, CT — about 50% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Connecticut has a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC

Hartford, CT

Rent

Studio

$1,579

$973

+38% in Charleston, SC

1 Bedroom

$1,430

$1,042

+27% in Charleston, SC

2 Bedroom

$1,684

$1,296

+23% in Charleston, SC

3 Bedroom

$2,076

$1,433

+31% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$469,100

$217,200

+54% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income

$90,038

$45,300

+50% in Charleston, SC

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,150

$59,940

+22% in Hartford, CT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.1 yr

33.4 yr

+2.7 yr in Charleston, SC

Homeownership

55.6%

25.7%

+29.9 pp in Charleston, SC

Bachelor's+ (25+)

57.7%

18.3%

+39.4 pp in Charleston, SC

Avg Commute

23.8 min

22.8 min

+1.0 min in Charleston, SC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

358.8

527.5

+47% in Hartford, CT

Property Crime

2,035.1

2,949.2

+45% in Hartford, CT

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

51.2°F

+15.5°F in Charleston, SC

Annual Precipitation

44.4 in

43.6 in

+0.8 in in Charleston, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

about equal

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.6

24.3

+56% in Hartford, CT

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$29.07

$23.33

+20% in Charleston, SC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in Hartford, CT

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.92

+10% in Hartford, CT

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Charleston, SC

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.90

+7% in Hartford, CT

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.19

+15% in Hartford, CT

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.69

+12% in Hartford, CT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / CT)

6.35%

+0.3 pp in CT

Income Tax (top rate)

6.00%

6.99%

+1.0 pp in CT

Charleston vs Hartford — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Hartford?: Hartford, CT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 20% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Hartford?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $42,000 in Hartford.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Hartford?: Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Hartford under Connecticut's (a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% 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).