Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Salt Lake City

Utah

$1,300/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 $1,300 in Salt Lake City, UT. Overall, Salt Lake City, UT is roughly 20% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT — about 17% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
Salt Lake City, UT

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$997
+37% in Charleston, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$1,166
+18% in Charleston, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$1,461
+13% in Charleston, SC
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$1,993
+4% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$495,700
+6% in Salt Lake City, UT

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$74,925
+17% in Charleston, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$55,240
+12% in Salt Lake City, UT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
33.0 yr
+3.1 yr in Charleston, SC
Homeownership
55.6%
46.8%
+8.8 pp in Charleston, SC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
50.9%
+6.8 pp in Charleston, SC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
19.6 min
+4.2 min in Charleston, SC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
878.8
+145% in Salt Lake City, UT
Property Crime
2,035.1
5,257.3
+158% in Salt Lake City, UT

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
52.8°F
+13.9°F in Charleston, SC
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
16.1 in
+28.3 in in Charleston, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$4.29/gal
+11% in Salt Lake City, UT

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
13.0
+20% in Charleston, SC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.35
$10.26
+62% in Charleston, SC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.82
+20% in Salt Lake City, UT
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$2.04
+17% in Salt Lake City, UT
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Charleston, SC
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$7.36
+14% in Salt Lake City, UT
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.01
+6% in Salt Lake City, UT
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Salt Lake City, UT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / UT)
6%
6.1%
+0.1 pp in UT
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
4.50%
+1.5 pp in SC

Charleston vs Salt Lake City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Salt Lake City?
Salt Lake City, UT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 20% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Salt Lake City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $47,000 in Salt Lake City.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Salt Lake City?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Salt Lake City under Utah's (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% 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).