Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Las Vegas

Nevada

$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 Las Vegas, NV. Overall, Las Vegas, NV 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 $70,723 in Las Vegas, NV — about 21% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
Las Vegas, NV

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$992
+37% in Charleston, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$1,181
+17% in Charleston, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$1,401
+17% in Charleston, SC
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$1,740
+16% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$395,300
+16% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$70,723
+21% in Charleston, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$46,670
+5% in Charleston, SC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
38.5 yr
+2.4 yr in Las Vegas, NV
Homeownership
55.6%
55.7%
+0.1 pp in Las Vegas, NV
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
27.3%
+30.4 pp in Charleston, SC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
25.8 min
+2.0 min in Las Vegas, NV

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
433.3
+21% in Las Vegas, NV
Property Crime
2,035.1
2,642.1
+30% in Las Vegas, NV

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
68.4°F
+1.7°F in Las Vegas, NV
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
5.4 in
+39.1 in in Charleston, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$5.09/gal
+32% in Las Vegas, NV

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.00

Adult base one-way fare — — vs RTC (residential routes) (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
13.6
+16% in Charleston, SC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.35
$12.09
+56% in Charleston, SC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.82
+20% in Las Vegas, NV
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$2.04
+17% in Las Vegas, NV
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Charleston, SC
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$7.36
+14% in Las Vegas, NV
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.01
+6% in Las Vegas, NV
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Las Vegas, NV

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / NV)
6%
6.85%
+0.8 pp in NV
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
None
+6.0 pp in SC

Charleston vs Las Vegas — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Las Vegas?
Las Vegas, NV 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 Las Vegas?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $47,000 in Las Vegas.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Las Vegas?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Las Vegas under Nevada's (no state income tax and a 6.85% 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).