Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Lewiston

Maine

$1,070/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 $1,070 in Lewiston, ME. Overall, Lewiston, ME is roughly 34% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $56,558 in Lewiston, ME — about 37% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Maine has a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
Lewiston, ME

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$559
+65% in Charleston, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$749
+48% in Charleston, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$1,047
+38% in Charleston, SC
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$1,209
+42% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$214,200
+54% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$56,558
+37% in Charleston, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$49,540
+1% in Lewiston, ME

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
37.8 yr
+1.7 yr in Lewiston, ME
Homeownership
55.6%
50.3%
+5.3 pp in Charleston, SC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
21.7%
+36.0 pp in Charleston, SC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
20.7 min
+3.1 min in Charleston, SC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
244.5
+32% in Charleston, SC
Property Crime
2,035.1
1,616.5
+21% 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
45.8°F
+20.9°F in Charleston, SC
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
51.1 in
+6.7 in in Lewiston, ME

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.94/gal
about equal

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.6
29.6
+90% in Lewiston, ME
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$29.07
$31.62
+9% in Lewiston, ME

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Lewiston, ME
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.92
+10% in Lewiston, ME
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Charleston, SC
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.90
+7% in Lewiston, ME
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.19
+15% in Lewiston, ME
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.69
+12% in Lewiston, ME

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / ME)
6%
5.5%
+0.5 pp in SC
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
7.15%
+1.2 pp in ME

Charleston vs Lewiston — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Lewiston?
Lewiston, ME is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,070 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 34% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Lewiston?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $30,000 in Lewiston.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Lewiston?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Lewiston under Maine's (a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% 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).