Chicago vs Charleston
Chicago, IL · Charleston, SC
Chicago and Charleston have similar costs of living.
Home Price
Chicago: $315,000
Charleston: $430,000
Monthly Rent
Chicago: $2,288/mo
Charleston: $1,917/mo
COL Index
Chicago: 114
Charleston: 113
Median Income
Chicago: $70,100
Charleston: $72,000
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 Chicago has the same purchasing power as $99,123 in Charleston — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Charleston are 37% cheaper (-$115,000 less). That's a significant down payment and monthly payment difference.
Renting
Renting in Charleston saves you $371/month — $4,452 per year. Median rent: $2,288/mo in Chicago vs $1,917/mo in Charleston.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Chicago owners pay roughly $6,615/year in property taxes vs $2,494/year in Charleston. That's a $4,121 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $70,100 in Chicago and $72,000 in Charleston. Incomes are similar, so cost of living differences matter more.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 31 minutes in Chicago vs 26 minutes in Charleston. Over a year, that's 2500 extra minutes (42 hours) of commuting in Chicago.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Chicago to Charleston, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Chicago | Equivalent in Charleston | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $49,561 | -$439 |
| $75,000 | $74,342 | -$658 |
| $100,000 | $99,123 | -$877 |
| $150,000 | $148,684 | -$1,316 |
| $200,000 | $198,246 | -$1,754 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Chicago vs Charleston: Common Questions
Is Chicago or Charleston cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Charleston is cheaper overall. Chicago has a COL index of 114 while Charleston scores 113 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Chicago and Charleston?
The median home price in Chicago is $315,000 vs $430,000 in Charleston — a difference of $115,000 (37%).
What salary do I need in Charleston to match my Chicago income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Chicago is equivalent to $99,123 in Charleston in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Charleston has a lower property tax rate (0.58% vs 2.1%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,494/year vs $6,615/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.