New York vs Charleston
New York, NY · Charleston, SC
Charleston is 40% cheaper than New York overall.
Home Price
New: $750,000
Charleston: $430,000
Monthly Rent
New: $3,600/mo
Charleston: $1,917/mo
COL Index
New: 187
Charleston: 113
Median Income
New: $76,607
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 New York has the same purchasing power as $60,428 in Charleston — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Charleston cost 43% more (-$320,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Charleston saves you $1,683/month — $20,196 per year. Median rent: $3,600/mo in New York vs $1,917/mo in Charleston.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, New York owners pay roughly $12,750/year in property taxes vs $2,494/year in Charleston. That's a $10,256 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $76,607 in New York and $72,000 in Charleston. Charleston residents earn 6% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 36 minutes in New York vs 26 minutes in Charleston. Over a year, that's 5000 extra minutes (83 hours) of commuting in New York.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from New York to Charleston, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in New York | Equivalent in Charleston | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $30,214 | -$19,786 |
| $75,000 | $45,321 | -$29,679 |
| $100,000 | $60,428 | -$39,572 |
| $150,000 | $90,642 | -$59,358 |
| $200,000 | $120,856 | -$79,144 |
* 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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New York Calculators
Charleston Calculators
Related Comparisons
New York vs Charleston: Common Questions
Is New York or Charleston cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Charleston is cheaper overall. New York has a COL index of 187 while Charleston scores 113 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between New York and Charleston?
The median home price in New York is $750,000 vs $430,000 in Charleston — a difference of $320,000 (43%).
What salary do I need in Charleston to match my New York income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in New York is equivalent to $60,428 in Charleston in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Charleston has a lower property tax rate (0.58% vs 1.7%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,494/year vs $12,750/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.