Charleston vs Greenville
Charleston, SC · Greenville, SC
Greenville is 15% cheaper than Charleston overall.
Home Price
Charleston: $430,000
Greenville: $295,000
Monthly Rent
Charleston: $1,917/mo
Greenville: $1,300/mo
COL Index
Charleston: 113
Greenville: 96
Median Income
Charleston: $72,000
Greenville: $64,400
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 $84,956 in Greenville — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Greenville cost 31% more (-$135,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Greenville saves you $617/month — $7,404 per year. Median rent: $1,917/mo in Charleston vs $1,300/mo in Greenville.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Charleston owners pay roughly $2,494/year in property taxes vs $1,711/year in Greenville. Rates are comparable.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $72,000 in Charleston and $64,400 in Greenville. Greenville residents earn 11% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 26 minutes in Charleston vs 24 minutes in Greenville. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Charleston to Greenville, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Charleston | Equivalent in Greenville | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $42,478 | -$7,522 |
| $75,000 | $63,717 | -$11,283 |
| $100,000 | $84,956 | -$15,044 |
| $150,000 | $127,434 | -$22,566 |
| $200,000 | $169,912 | -$30,088 |
* 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
Greenville Calculators
Related Comparisons
Charleston vs Greenville: Common Questions
Is Charleston or Greenville cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Greenville is cheaper overall. Charleston has a COL index of 113 while Greenville scores 96 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Charleston and Greenville?
The median home price in Charleston is $430,000 vs $295,000 in Greenville — a difference of $135,000 (31%).
What salary do I need in Greenville to match my Charleston income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Charleston is equivalent to $84,956 in Greenville in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Greenville has a lower property tax rate (0.58% vs 0.58%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $1,711/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.