Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Juneau?

Juneau, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,530 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $50,000 in Juneau.

Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Juneau?

Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Juneau under Alaska's (no state income tax and no state sales tax).

Charleston vs Juneau Cost of Living 2026

Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

Juneau

Alaska

$1,530/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 $1,530 in Juneau, AK. Overall, Juneau, AK is roughly 6% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $100,513 in Juneau, AK — about 10% higher in Juneau, AK. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax.

Charleston, SC

Juneau, AK

Rent

Studio

$1,579

$993

+37% in Charleston, SC

1 Bedroom

$1,430

$1,257

+12% in Charleston, SC

2 Bedroom

$1,684

$1,647

+2% in Charleston, SC

3 Bedroom

$2,076

$1,949

+6% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$469,100

$432,500

+8% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income

$90,038

$100,513

+12% in Juneau, AK

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,150

—

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.1 yr

39.8 yr

+3.7 yr in Juneau, AK

Homeownership

55.6%

64.4%

+8.8 pp in Juneau, AK

Bachelor's+ (25+)

57.7%

40.5%

+17.2 pp in Charleston, SC

Avg Commute

23.8 min

15.8 min

+8.0 min in Charleston, SC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

358.8

515.6

+44% in Juneau, AK

Property Crime

2,035.1

2,113.1

+4% in Juneau, AK

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

42.1°F

+24.6°F in Charleston, SC

Annual Precipitation

44.4 in

62.3 in

+17.9 in in Juneau, AK

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$5.21/gal

+32% in Juneau, AK

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.6

28.2

+81% in Juneau, AK

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$29.07

$17.35

+40% in Charleston, SC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Juneau, AK

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Juneau, AK

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Charleston, SC

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Juneau, AK

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Juneau, AK

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Juneau, AK

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / AK)

None

+6.0 pp in SC

Income Tax (top rate)

6.00%

None

+6.0 pp in SC

Charleston vs Juneau — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Juneau?: Juneau, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,530 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Juneau?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $50,000 in Juneau.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Juneau?: Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Juneau under Alaska's (no state income tax and no 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).