Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Phoenix?

Phoenix, AZ 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 Phoenix?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $50,000 in Phoenix.

Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Phoenix?

Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Phoenix under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax).

Charleston vs Phoenix Cost of Living 2026

Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

Phoenix

Arizona

$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 Phoenix, AZ. Overall, Phoenix, AZ 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 $77,041 in Phoenix, AZ — about 14% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC

Phoenix, AZ

Rent

Studio

$1,579

$1,127

+29% in Charleston, SC

1 Bedroom

$1,430

$1,253

+12% in Charleston, SC

2 Bedroom

$1,684

$1,493

+11% in Charleston, SC

3 Bedroom

$2,076

$1,771

+15% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$469,100

$381,900

+19% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income

$90,038

$77,041

+14% in Charleston, SC

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,150

$51,380

+5% in Phoenix, AZ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.1 yr

34.8 yr

+1.3 yr in Charleston, SC

Homeownership

55.6%

57.1%

+1.5 pp in Phoenix, AZ

Bachelor's+ (25+)

57.7%

32.3%

+25.4 pp in Charleston, SC

Avg Commute

23.8 min

25.7 min

+1.9 min in Phoenix, AZ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

358.8

799.6

+123% in Phoenix, AZ

Property Crime

2,035.1

2,338.9

+15% in Phoenix, AZ

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

75.1°F

+8.4°F in Phoenix, AZ

Annual Precipitation

44.4 in

8.2 in

+36.2 in in Charleston, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.86/gal

$5.09/gal

+32% in Phoenix, AZ

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.2

15.2

+6% in Charleston, SC

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$27.35

$22.44

+18% in Charleston, SC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Phoenix, AZ

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Phoenix, AZ

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Charleston, SC

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Phoenix, AZ

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Phoenix, AZ

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Phoenix, AZ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / AZ)

5.6%

+0.4 pp in SC

Income Tax (top rate)

6.00%

2.50%

+3.5 pp in SC

Charleston vs Phoenix — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Phoenix?: Phoenix, AZ 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 Phoenix?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $50,000 in Phoenix.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Phoenix?: Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Phoenix under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% 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).