Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Sacramento?

Charleston, SC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,620 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Sacramento, CA's $1,740, mainly because of electricity costs.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Sacramento?

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

Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Sacramento?

Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Sacramento under California's (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax).

Charleston vs Sacramento Cost of Living 2026

Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

Sacramento

California

$1,740/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 $1,740 in Sacramento, CA. Overall, Charleston, SC is roughly 7% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Sacramento, CA, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $83,753 in Sacramento, CA — about 7% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC

Sacramento, CA

Rent

Studio

$1,579

$1,259

+20% in Charleston, SC

1 Bedroom

$1,430

$1,418

+1% in Charleston, SC

2 Bedroom

$1,684

$1,742

+3% in Sacramento, CA

3 Bedroom

$2,076

$1,973

+5% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$469,100

$484,600

+3% in Sacramento, CA

Income

Median Household Income

$90,038

$83,753

+7% in Charleston, SC

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,150

$59,750

+22% in Sacramento, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.1 yr

35.7 yr

+0.4 yr in Charleston, SC

Homeownership

55.6%

51.5%

+4.1 pp in Charleston, SC

Bachelor's+ (25+)

57.7%

36.4%

+21.3 pp in Charleston, SC

Avg Commute

23.8 min

25.6 min

+1.8 min in Sacramento, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

358.8

756.6

+111% in Sacramento, CA

Property Crime

2,035.1

2,615.3

+29% in Sacramento, CA

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

61.0°F

+5.7°F in Charleston, SC

Annual Precipitation

44.4 in

18.5 in

+25.9 in in Charleston, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.86/gal

$5.40/gal

+40% in Sacramento, CA

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs California.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.50

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.2

33.3

+106% in Sacramento, CA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$27.35

$20.72

+24% in Charleston, SC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Sacramento, CA

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Sacramento, CA

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Charleston, SC

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Sacramento, CA

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Sacramento, CA

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Sacramento, CA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / CA)

7.25%

+1.3 pp in CA

Income Tax (top rate)

6.00%

13.30%

+7.3 pp in CA

Charleston vs Sacramento — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Sacramento?: Charleston, SC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,620 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Sacramento, CA's $1,740, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Sacramento?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $57,000 in Sacramento.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Sacramento?: Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Sacramento under California's (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% 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).