Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Wichita?

Wichita, KS 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 Wichita?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $30,000 in Wichita.

Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Wichita?

Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Wichita under Kansas's (a top state income tax rate of 5.58% and a 6.5% state sales tax).

Charleston vs Wichita Cost of Living 2026

Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

Wichita

Kansas

$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 Wichita, KS. Overall, Wichita, KS 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 $63,072 in Wichita, KS — about 30% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Kansas has a top state income tax rate of 5.58% and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC

Wichita, KS

Rent

Studio

$1,579

$726

+54% in Charleston, SC

1 Bedroom

$1,430

$761

+47% in Charleston, SC

2 Bedroom

$1,684

$976

+42% in Charleston, SC

3 Bedroom

$2,076

$1,199

+42% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$469,100

$179,500

+62% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income

$90,038

$63,072

+30% in Charleston, SC

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,150

$47,630

+3% in Charleston, SC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.1 yr

35.7 yr

+0.4 yr in Charleston, SC

Homeownership

55.6%

58.4%

+2.8 pp in Wichita, KS

Bachelor's+ (25+)

57.7%

30.9%

+26.8 pp in Charleston, SC

Avg Commute

23.8 min

18.9 min

+4.9 min in Charleston, SC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

358.8

1,238.7

+245% in Wichita, KS

Property Crime

2,035.1

5,284.9

+160% in Wichita, KS

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

57.0°F

+9.7°F in Charleston, SC

Annual Precipitation

44.4 in

32.6 in

+11.8 in in Charleston, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.86/gal

$3.94/gal

+2% in Wichita, KS

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.2

15.1

+6% in Charleston, SC

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$27.35

$25.12

+8% in Charleston, SC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in Wichita, KS

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.66

+5% in Charleston, SC

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$3.63

+64% in Wichita, KS

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.77

+5% in Wichita, KS

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.10

+10% in Wichita, KS

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / KS)

6.5%

+0.5 pp in KS

Income Tax (top rate)

6.00%

5.58%

+0.4 pp in SC

Charleston vs Wichita — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Wichita?: Wichita, KS 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 Wichita?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $30,000 in Wichita.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Wichita?: Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Wichita under Kansas's (a top state income tax rate of 5.58% 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).