Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
San Antonio

Texas

$1,290/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 $1,290 in San Antonio, TX. Overall, San Antonio, TX 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 $62,917 in San Antonio, TX — about 30% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
San Antonio, TX

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$1,052
+33% in Charleston, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$1,084
+24% in Charleston, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$1,327
+21% in Charleston, SC
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$1,545
+26% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$219,700
+53% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$62,917
+30% in Charleston, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$47,010
+4% in Charleston, SC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
34.6 yr
+1.5 yr in Charleston, SC
Homeownership
55.6%
52.4%
+3.2 pp in Charleston, SC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
28.7%
+29.0 pp in Charleston, SC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
24.6 min
+0.8 min in San Antonio, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
605.7
+69% in San Antonio, TX
Property Crime
2,035.1
4,665.7
+129% in San Antonio, TX

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
68.5°F
+1.8°F in San Antonio, TX
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
34.9 in
+9.6 in in Charleston, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.62/gal
+6% in Charleston, SC

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Texas.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.30

Adult base one-way fare — — vs VIA Metropolitan Transit (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
16.4
+2% in San Antonio, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.35
$30.48
+11% in San Antonio, TX

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 / TX)
6%
6.25%
+0.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
None
+6.0 pp in SC

Charleston vs San Antonio — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or San Antonio?
San Antonio, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,290 (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 San Antonio?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $43,000 in San Antonio.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or San Antonio?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); San Antonio under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).