Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Tucson

Arizona

$1,070/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 $1,070 in Tucson, AZ. Overall, Tucson, AZ is roughly 34% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $54,546 in Tucson, AZ — about 39% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
Tucson, AZ

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$795
+50% in Charleston, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$891
+38% in Charleston, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$1,146
+32% in Charleston, SC
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$1,520
+27% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$242,200
+48% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$54,546
+39% in Charleston, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$47,760
+3% in Charleston, SC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
34.6 yr
+1.5 yr in Charleston, SC
Homeownership
55.6%
51.7%
+3.9 pp in Charleston, SC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
30.2%
+27.5 pp in Charleston, SC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
22.2 min
+1.6 min in Charleston, SC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
645.8
+80% in Tucson, AZ
Property Crime
2,035.1
3,460
+70% in Tucson, AZ

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
70.2°F
+3.5°F in Tucson, AZ
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
11.6 in
+32.8 in in Charleston, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$5.09/gal
+32% in Tucson, AZ

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
Free

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
15.2
+6% in Charleston, SC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.35
$22.44
+18% in Charleston, SC

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

Groceries

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

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / AZ)
6%
5.6%
+0.4 pp in SC
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
2.50%
+3.5 pp in SC

Charleston vs Tucson — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Tucson?
Tucson, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,070 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 34% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Tucson?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $36,000 in Tucson.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Tucson?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Tucson under Arizona's (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% 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).