Living Cost Compare
Charleston

South Carolina

$1,620/mo est.

vs
Worcester

Massachusetts

$1,340/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 $1,340 in Worcester, MA. Overall, Worcester, MA is roughly 17% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $90,038 in Charleston, SC and $67,544 in Worcester, MA — about 25% higher in Charleston, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Charleston, SC
Worcester, MA

Rent

Studio
$1,579
$1,087
+31% in Charleston, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,430
$1,028
+28% in Charleston, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,684
$1,476
+12% in Charleston, SC
3 Bedroom
$2,076
$1,675
+19% in Charleston, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$469,100
$339,500
+28% in Charleston, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$90,038
$67,544
+25% in Charleston, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,150
$57,830
+18% in Worcester, MA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
34.1 yr
+2.0 yr in Charleston, SC
Homeownership
55.6%
42.4%
+13.2 pp in Charleston, SC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
57.7%
34.1%
+23.6 pp in Charleston, SC
Avg Commute
23.8 min
25.1 min
+1.3 min in Worcester, MA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
358.8
640.2
+78% in Worcester, MA
Property Crime
2,035.1
1,580.3
+22% 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
47.9°F
+18.8°F in Charleston, SC
Annual Precipitation
44.4 in
48.1 in
+3.6 in in Worcester, MA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$4.07/gal
+3% in Worcester, MA

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Massachusetts.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.6
29.6
+90% in Worcester, MA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$29.07
$30.66
+5% in Worcester, MA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Worcester, MA
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.92
+10% in Worcester, MA
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Charleston, SC
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.90
+7% in Worcester, MA
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.19
+15% in Worcester, MA
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.69
+12% in Worcester, MA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / MA)
6%
6.25%
+0.3 pp in MA
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
9.00%
+3.0 pp in MA

Charleston vs Worcester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or Worcester?
Worcester, MA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,340 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 17% below Charleston, SC's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charleston than in Worcester?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Charleston versus $41,000 in Worcester.
Which has lower taxes, Charleston or Worcester?
Charleston is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Worcester under Massachusetts's (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% 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).