Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
New Orleans

Louisiana

$1,170/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 $1,170 in New Orleans, LA. Overall, New Orleans, LA is roughly 28% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $55,339 in New Orleans, LA — about 39% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
New Orleans, LA

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$953
+40% in Charleston, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$1,019
+29% in Charleston, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$1,287
+24% in Charleston, SC
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$1,392
+33% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$296,400
+37% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$55,339
+39% in Charleston, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$47,290
+4% in Charleston, SC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
38.4 yr
+2.3 yr in New Orleans, LA
Homeownership
55.6%
50.5%
+5.1 pp in Charleston, SC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
42.0%
+15.7 pp in Charleston, SC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
22.7 min
+1.1 min in Charleston, SC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
1,361.1
+279% in New Orleans, LA
Property Crime
2,035.1
5,089.6
+150% in New Orleans, LA

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
70.6°F
+3.9°F in New Orleans, LA
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
62.3 in
+17.9 in in New Orleans, LA

Gas

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

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.25

Adult base one-way fare — — vs New Orleans RTA (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
14.2
+13% in Charleston, SC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.35
$16.62
+39% 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 / LA)
6%
5%
+1.0 pp in SC
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
3.00%
+3.0 pp in SC

Charleston vs New Orleans — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or New Orleans?
New Orleans, LA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 28% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in New Orleans?
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 New Orleans.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or New Orleans?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); New Orleans under Louisiana's (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 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).