Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Honolulu?

Charleston, SC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,620 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Honolulu, HI's $2,160, mainly because of electricity costs.

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

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 Honolulu.

Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Honolulu?

Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Honolulu under Hawaii's (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax).

Charleston vs Honolulu Cost of Living 2026

Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,160/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 $2,160 in Honolulu, HI. Overall, Charleston, SC is roughly 25% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $85,428 in Honolulu, HI — about 5% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC

Honolulu, HI

Rent

Studio

$1,579

$1,390

+12% in Charleston, SC

1 Bedroom

$1,430

$1,570

+10% in Honolulu, HI

2 Bedroom

$1,684

$1,983

+18% in Honolulu, HI

3 Bedroom

$2,076

$2,433

+17% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$469,100

$834,100

+78% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income

$90,038

$85,428

+5% in Charleston, SC

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,150

$57,220

+16% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.1 yr

42.9 yr

+6.8 yr in Honolulu, HI

Homeownership

55.6%

48.6%

+7.0 pp in Charleston, SC

Bachelor's+ (25+)

57.7%

40.8%

+16.9 pp in Charleston, SC

Avg Commute

23.8 min

22.3 min

+1.5 min in Charleston, SC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

358.8

214.1

+40% in Charleston, SC

Property Crime

2,035.1

1,919.8

+6% in Charleston, SC

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

77.7°F

+11.0°F in Honolulu, HI

Annual Precipitation

44.4 in

17.1 in

+27.3 in in Charleston, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.86/gal

$5.09/gal

+32% in Honolulu, HI

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$3.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.2

52.0

+221% in Honolulu, HI

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$27.35

$70.84

+159% in Honolulu, HI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Honolulu, HI

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Honolulu, HI

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Charleston, SC

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Honolulu, HI

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Honolulu, HI

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Honolulu, HI

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / HI)

+2.0 pp in SC

Income Tax (top rate)

6.00%

11.00%

+5.0 pp in HI

Charleston vs Honolulu — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Honolulu?: Charleston, SC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,620 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Honolulu, HI's $2,160, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Honolulu?: 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 Honolulu.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Honolulu?: Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Honolulu under Hawaii's (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% 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).