Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Kansas City

Missouri

$1,200/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 $1,200 in Kansas City, MO. Overall, Kansas City, MO is roughly 26% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $67,449 in Kansas City, MO — about 25% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
Kansas City, MO

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$961
+39% in Charleston, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$1,031
+28% in Charleston, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$1,211
+28% in Charleston, SC
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$1,381
+33% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$227,000
+52% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$67,449
+25% in Charleston, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$50,820
+3% in Kansas City, MO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
35.7 yr
+0.4 yr in Charleston, SC
Homeownership
55.6%
54.6%
+1.0 pp in Charleston, SC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
37.8%
+19.9 pp in Charleston, SC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
21.9 min
+1.9 min in Charleston, SC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
1,557.1
+334% in Kansas City, MO
Property Crime
2,035.1
4,722.1
+132% in Kansas City, MO

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
56.7°F
+10.0°F in Charleston, SC
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
39.1 in
+5.4 in in Charleston, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.94/gal
+2% in Kansas City, MO

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
13.7
+15% in Charleston, SC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.35
$24.13
+12% in Charleston, SC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Kansas City, MO
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Charleston, SC
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in Kansas City, MO
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in Kansas City, MO
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in Kansas City, MO
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / MO)
6%
4.225%
+1.8 pp in SC
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
4.70%
+1.3 pp in SC

Charleston vs Kansas City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Kansas City?
Kansas City, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,200 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 26% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Kansas City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $41,000 in Kansas City.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Kansas City?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Kansas City under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% 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).