Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Virginia Beach

Virginia

$1,550/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 $1,550 in Virginia Beach, VA. Overall, Virginia Beach, VA is roughly 4% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $90,685 in Virginia Beach, VA — about 1% higher in Virginia Beach, VA. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Virginia has a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
Virginia Beach, VA

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$1,496
+5% in Charleston, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$1,357
+5% in Charleston, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$1,559
+7% in Charleston, SC
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$1,857
+11% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$366,300
+22% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$90,685
+1% in Virginia Beach, VA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$49,430
+1% in Virginia Beach, VA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
37.4 yr
+1.3 yr in Virginia Beach, VA
Homeownership
55.6%
64.9%
+9.3 pp in Virginia Beach, VA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
40.4%
+17.3 pp in Charleston, SC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
23.2 min
+0.6 min in Charleston, SC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
96.9
+73% in Charleston, SC
Property Crime
2,035.1
1,664.9
+18% in Charleston, SC

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
59.9°F
+6.8°F in Charleston, SC
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
44.3 in
+0.1 in in Charleston, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.86/gal
$3.86/gal
about equal

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.2
17.6
+9% in Virginia Beach, VA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.35
$23.66
+13% in Charleston, SC

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 / VA)
6%
5.3%
+0.7 pp in SC
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
5.75%
+0.3 pp in SC

Charleston vs Virginia Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Virginia Beach?
Virginia Beach, VA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,550 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 4% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Virginia Beach?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $54,000 in Virginia Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Virginia Beach?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Virginia Beach under Virginia's (a top state income tax rate of 5.75% and a 5.3% 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).