When reviewing cost of living statistics for Charleston, keep in mind that Charleston has a number of extremely high priced oceanfront and historic properties. These properties tend to increase the average cost of living statistics for Charleston versus other cities.

The quarterly ACCRA Cost of Living Index is a U.N. sponsored national survey that compares the cost of living of households among three hundred U.S. metropolitan areas. The average for all participating areas is indexed as 100, and each participant's index reads as a percentage of the average for all responding cities. Of the three hundred urban areas that participated in the 2nd quarter 2007 survey, Charleston scored 1.8% below the average of all areas participating in the study. additional data is available in the tables to the right.


The average purchase price for a home in the Charleston area is $238,233. This typical home has three bedrooms and two full baths and is located in a typical mid- management executive household neighborhood, per ACCRA data requirements.

The average monthly rent for a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, unfurnished apartment excluding all utilities except water is $718.


If you are inquiring from another area, try Monstermoving.com's salary calculator to understand what you need to earn in Charleston to maintain your current lifestyle.


South Carolina has a "progressive" personal income tax which, as with all things "progressive", taxes higher wage earners at a higher rate. The rates graduate from 2% to 7% on taxable income. Berkeley and Dorchester Counties have a 5% sales tax, while Charleston County has a 6.5% sales tax. For more information, contact the South Carolina Department of Revenue at (843) 852-3600 or visit the South Carolina Department of Revenue on the web.