Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Paterson

New Jersey

$1,430/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 $1,430 in Paterson, NJ. Overall, Paterson, NJ is roughly 12% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $53,766 in Paterson, NJ — about 40% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
Paterson, NJ

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$786
+50% in Charleston, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$1,183
+17% in Charleston, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$1,468
+13% in Charleston, SC
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$1,729
+17% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$335,400
+29% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$53,766
+40% in Charleston, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$61,430
+25% in Paterson, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
33.3 yr
+2.8 yr in Charleston, SC
Homeownership
55.6%
26.2%
+29.4 pp in Charleston, SC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
12.5%
+45.2 pp in Charleston, SC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
23.1 min
+0.7 min in Charleston, SC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
1,010.1
+182% in Paterson, NJ
Property Crime
2,035.1
2,391.4
+18% in Paterson, NJ

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
52.2°F
+14.5°F in Charleston, SC
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
49.0 in
+4.6 in in Paterson, NJ

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
24.9
+60% in Paterson, NJ
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$29.07
$17.68
+39% in Charleston, SC

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

Groceries

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

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / NJ)
6%
6.625%
+0.6 pp in NJ
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
10.75%
+4.8 pp in NJ

Charleston vs Paterson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Paterson?
Paterson, NJ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,430 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 12% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Paterson?
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 Paterson.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Paterson?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Paterson under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% 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).