Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Missoula

Montana

$1,100/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 $1,100 in Missoula, MT. Overall, Missoula, MT is roughly 32% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $65,329 in Missoula, MT — about 27% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Montana has a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
Missoula, MT

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$755
+52% in Charleston, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$953
+33% in Charleston, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$1,176
+30% in Charleston, SC
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$1,676
+19% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$427,400
+9% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$65,329
+27% in Charleston, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$47,830
+3% in Charleston, SC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
34.3 yr
+1.8 yr in Charleston, SC
Homeownership
55.6%
47.8%
+7.8 pp in Charleston, SC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
51.7%
+6.0 pp in Charleston, SC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
16.6 min
+7.2 min in Charleston, SC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
601.9
+68% in Missoula, MT
Property Crime
2,035.1
3,685.2
+81% in Missoula, MT

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
45.9°F
+20.8°F in Charleston, SC
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
14.1 in
+30.3 in in Charleston, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$4.27/gal
+8% in Missoula, MT

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.6
15.1
+3% in Charleston, SC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$29.07
$10.12
+65% in Charleston, SC

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

Groceries

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

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / MT)
6%
None
+6.0 pp in SC
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
5.65%
+0.3 pp in SC

Charleston vs Missoula — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Missoula?
Missoula, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,100 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 32% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Missoula?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $38,000 in Missoula.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Missoula?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Missoula under Montana's (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% 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).