Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Rochester

Minnesota

$1,280/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 $1,280 in Rochester, MN. Overall, Rochester, MN is roughly 21% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $87,767 in Rochester, MN — about 3% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
Rochester, MN

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$1,080
+32% in Charleston, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$1,106
+23% in Charleston, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$1,243
+26% in Charleston, SC
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$1,646
+21% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$287,500
+39% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$87,767
+3% in Charleston, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$60,620
+23% in Rochester, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
36.4 yr
+0.3 yr in Rochester, MN
Homeownership
55.6%
65.4%
+9.8 pp in Rochester, MN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
50.1%
+7.6 pp in Charleston, SC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
17.2 min
+6.6 min in Charleston, SC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
158.9
+56% in Charleston, SC
Property Crime
2,035.1
1,379
+32% in Charleston, SC

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
45.4°F
+21.3°F in Charleston, SC
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
33.0 in
+11.4 in in Charleston, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.95/gal
+2% in Rochester, MN

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Minnesota.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
16.9
+5% in Rochester, MN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.35
$14.95
+45% in Charleston, SC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Rochester, MN
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Charleston, SC
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in Rochester, MN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in Rochester, MN
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in Rochester, MN
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / MN)
6%
6.875%
+0.9 pp in MN
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
9.85%
+3.8 pp in MN

Charleston vs Rochester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Rochester?
Rochester, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,280 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Rochester?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $44,000 in Rochester.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Rochester?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Rochester under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% 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).