Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

$1,410/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 $1,410 in Philadelphia, PA. Overall, Philadelphia, PA is roughly 13% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $60,698 in Philadelphia, PA — about 33% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
Philadelphia, PA

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$1,126
+29% in Charleston, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$1,189
+17% in Charleston, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$1,394
+17% in Charleston, SC
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$1,406
+32% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$232,400
+50% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$60,698
+33% in Charleston, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$54,310
+10% in Philadelphia, PA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
35.1 yr
+1.0 yr in Charleston, SC
Homeownership
55.6%
52.3%
+3.3 pp in Charleston, SC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
34.6%
+23.1 pp in Charleston, SC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
32.0 min
+8.2 min in Philadelphia, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
917.1
+156% in Philadelphia, PA
Property Crime
2,035.1
4,615.3
+127% in Philadelphia, PA

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
57.1°F
+9.6°F in Charleston, SC
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
48.5 in
+4.1 in in Philadelphia, PA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.86/gal
about equal

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.50

Adult base one-way fare — — vs SEPTA (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
21.6
+33% in Philadelphia, PA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.35
$19.17
+30% in Charleston, SC

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

Groceries

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

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / PA)
6%
6%
about equal
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
3.07%
+2.9 pp in SC

Charleston vs Philadelphia — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Philadelphia?
Philadelphia, PA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,410 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 13% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Philadelphia?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $48,000 in Philadelphia.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Philadelphia?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Philadelphia under Pennsylvania's (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% 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).