Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/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 $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL. Overall, Jacksonville, FL is roughly 19% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL — about 26% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
Jacksonville, FL

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$1,127
+29% in Charleston, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$1,146
+20% in Charleston, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$1,385
+18% in Charleston, SC
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$1,545
+26% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$266,100
+43% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$66,981
+26% in Charleston, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$48,830
+1% in Charleston, SC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
36.4 yr
+0.3 yr in Jacksonville, FL
Homeownership
55.6%
57.4%
+1.8 pp in Jacksonville, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
31.8%
+25.9 pp in Charleston, SC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
24.1 min
+0.3 min in Jacksonville, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
558.4
+56% in Jacksonville, FL
Property Crime
2,035.1
2,600.1
+28% in Jacksonville, FL

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
70.2°F
+3.5°F in Jacksonville, FL
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
49.2 in
+4.8 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.77/gal
+2% in Charleston, SC

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Florida.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.75

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
15.2
+6% in Charleston, SC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.35
$23.62
+14% in Charleston, SC

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 / FL)
6%
6%
about equal
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
None
+6.0 pp in SC

Charleston vs Jacksonville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Jacksonville?
Jacksonville, FL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,320 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 19% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Jacksonville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $46,000 in Jacksonville.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Jacksonville?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Jacksonville under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% 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).