Charleston vs Columbia
Charleston, SC · Columbia, SC
Columbia is 21% cheaper than Charleston overall.
Home Price
Charleston: $430,000
Columbia: $230,000
Monthly Rent
Charleston: $1,917/mo
Columbia: $1,050/mo
COL Index
Charleston: 113
Columbia: 89
Median Income
Charleston: $72,000
Columbia: $55,200
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Charleston has the same purchasing power as $78,761 in Columbia — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Columbia cost 47% more (-$200,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Columbia saves you $867/month — $10,404 per year. Median rent: $1,917/mo in Charleston vs $1,050/mo in Columbia.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Charleston owners pay roughly $2,494/year in property taxes vs $1,334/year in Columbia. Rates are comparable.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $72,000 in Charleston and $55,200 in Columbia. Columbia residents earn 23% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 26 minutes in Charleston vs 24 minutes in Columbia. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Charleston to Columbia, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Charleston | Equivalent in Columbia | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $39,381 | -$10,619 |
| $75,000 | $59,071 | -$15,929 |
| $100,000 | $78,761 | -$21,239 |
| $150,000 | $118,142 | -$31,858 |
| $200,000 | $157,522 | -$42,478 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Charleston Calculators
Columbia Calculators
Related Comparisons
Charleston vs Columbia: Common Questions
Is Charleston or Columbia cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Columbia is cheaper overall. Charleston has a COL index of 113 while Columbia scores 89 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Charleston and Columbia?
The median home price in Charleston is $430,000 vs $230,000 in Columbia — a difference of $200,000 (47%).
What salary do I need in Columbia to match my Charleston income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Charleston is equivalent to $78,761 in Columbia in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Columbia has a lower property tax rate (0.58% vs 0.58%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $1,334/year vs $2,494/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.