Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Little Rock

Arkansas

$1,080/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 $1,080 in Little Rock, AR. Overall, Little Rock, AR is roughly 33% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $60,583 in Little Rock, AR — about 33% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
Little Rock, AR

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$981
+38% in Charleston, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$904
+37% in Charleston, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$1,064
+37% in Charleston, SC
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$1,292
+38% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$221,200
+53% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$60,583
+33% in Charleston, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$45,790
+7% in Charleston, SC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
36.4 yr
+0.3 yr in Little Rock, AR
Homeownership
55.6%
54.2%
+1.4 pp in Charleston, SC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
44.0%
+13.7 pp in Charleston, SC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
18.3 min
+5.5 min in Charleston, SC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
1,673
+366% in Little Rock, AR
Property Crime
2,035.1
5,251.5
+158% in Little Rock, AR

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
62.7°F
+4.0°F in Charleston, SC
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
49.8 in
+5.3 in in Little Rock, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.62/gal
+6% in Charleston, SC

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
14.4
+11% in Charleston, SC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.35
$25.93
+5% 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 / AR)
6%
6.5%
+0.5 pp in AR
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
3.90%
+2.1 pp in SC

Charleston vs Little Rock — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Little Rock?
Little Rock, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,080 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 33% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Little Rock?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $36,000 in Little Rock.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Little Rock?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Little Rock under Arkansas's (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% 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).