Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Raleigh

North Carolina

$1,510/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 $1,510 in Raleigh, NC. Overall, Raleigh, NC is roughly 7% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $82,424 in Raleigh, NC — about 8% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
Raleigh, NC

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$1,301
+18% in Charleston, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$1,323
+7% in Charleston, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$1,462
+13% in Charleston, SC
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$1,715
+17% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$377,800
+19% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$82,424
+8% in Charleston, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$51,990
+6% in Raleigh, NC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
34.7 yr
+1.4 yr in Charleston, SC
Homeownership
55.6%
51.2%
+4.4 pp in Charleston, SC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
52.9%
+4.8 pp in Charleston, SC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
23.4 min
+0.4 min in Charleston, SC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
491.5
+37% in Raleigh, NC
Property Crime
2,035.1
2,838.4
+39% in Raleigh, NC

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
60.6°F
+6.1°F in Charleston, SC
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
46.0 in
+1.6 in in Raleigh, NC

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)
—
$1.25

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
15.1
+7% in Charleston, SC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.35
$27.56
+1% in Raleigh, NC

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 / NC)
6%
4.75%
+1.3 pp in SC
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
3.99%
+2.0 pp in SC

Charleston vs Raleigh — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Raleigh?
Raleigh, NC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,510 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Raleigh?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $53,000 in Raleigh.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Raleigh?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Raleigh under North Carolina's (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% 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).