Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Springfield

Missouri

$940/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 $940 in Springfield, MO. Overall, Springfield, MO is roughly 42% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $45,984 in Springfield, MO — about 49% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
Springfield, MO

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$760
+52% in Charleston, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$772
+46% in Charleston, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$926
+45% in Charleston, SC
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$1,158
+44% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$165,200
+65% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$45,984
+49% in Charleston, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$45,780
+7% in Charleston, SC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
33.6 yr
+2.5 yr in Charleston, SC
Homeownership
55.6%
42.9%
+12.7 pp in Charleston, SC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
30.3%
+27.4 pp in Charleston, SC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
18.0 min
+5.8 min in Charleston, SC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
1,189.8
+232% in Springfield, MO
Property Crime
2,035.1
4,231.6
+108% in Springfield, MO

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
56.3°F
+10.4°F in Charleston, SC
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
45.6 in
+1.1 in in Springfield, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.94/gal
+2% in Springfield, MO

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
13.7
+15% in Charleston, SC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.35
$24.13
+12% in Charleston, SC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Springfield, MO
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Charleston, SC
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in Springfield, MO
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in Springfield, MO
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in Springfield, MO
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 / MO)
6%
4.225%
+1.8 pp in SC
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
4.70%
+1.3 pp in SC

Charleston vs Springfield — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Springfield?
Springfield, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 42% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Springfield?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $31,000 in Springfield.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Springfield?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Springfield under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% 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).