Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Seattle

Washington

$2,030/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 $2,030 in Seattle, WA. Overall, Charleston, SC is roughly 20% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Seattle, WA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $121,984 in Seattle, WA — about 26% higher in Seattle, WA. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Washington has no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
Seattle, WA

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$1,638
+4% in Seattle, WA
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$1,858
+30% in Seattle, WA
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$2,359
+40% in Seattle, WA
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$2,918
+41% in Seattle, WA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$912,100
+94% in Seattle, WA

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$121,984
+35% in Seattle, WA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$72,610
+48% in Seattle, WA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
35.5 yr
+0.6 yr in Charleston, SC
Homeownership
55.6%
44.2%
+11.4 pp in Charleston, SC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
67.5%
+9.8 pp in Seattle, WA
Avg Commute
23.8 min
26.6 min
+2.8 min in Seattle, WA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
788.6
+120% in Seattle, WA
Property Crime
2,035.1
5,108.8
+151% in Seattle, WA

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
53.5°F
+13.2°F in Charleston, SC
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
37.7 in
+6.7 in in Charleston, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$5.31/gal
+38% in Seattle, WA

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Seattle.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.75

Adult base one-way fare — — vs King County Metro (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
14.9
+8% in Charleston, SC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.35
$20.41
+25% in Charleston, SC

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

Groceries

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

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / WA)
6%
6.5%
+0.5 pp in WA
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
None
+6.0 pp in SC

Charleston vs Seattle — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Seattle?
Charleston, SC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,620 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 20% below Seattle, WA's $2,030, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Seattle?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $74,000 in Seattle.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Seattle?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Seattle under Washington's (no state income tax and a 6.5% 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).