Cost of Living Comparison Between Charleston, SC and Columbia, SC 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Columbia, SC is 19.1% lower than in Charleston, SC (without rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Columbia, SC is 28.3% lower than in Charleston, SC | |
| Rent Prices in Columbia, SC are 42.8% lower than in Charleston, SC | |
| Restaurant Prices in Columbia, SC are 35.2% lower than in Charleston, SC | |
| Groceries Prices in Columbia, SC are 13.7% lower than in Charleston, SC | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Columbia, SC is 19.3% higher than in Charleston, SC | |
Restaurants | Charleston, SC Edit |
Columbia, SC Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 25.00 $ | 15.00 $ | -40.0 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 110.00 $ | 65.00 $ | -40.9 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 10.00 $ | 9.00 $ | -10.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 6.50 $ | 4.00 $ | -38.5 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 8.00 $ | 5.50 $ | -31.2 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 5.14 $ | 4.64 $ | -9.6 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 2.30 $ | 2.36 $ | +2.5 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 2.11 $ | 1.46 $ | -30.6 % |
Markets | Charleston, SC Edit |
Columbia, SC Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 3.74 $ | 3.76 $ | +0.6 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 3.28 $ | 2.54 $ | -22.6 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 1.77 $ | 1.58 $ | -10.3 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 4.31 $ | 2.79 $ | -35.2 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 5.08 $ | 4.83 $ | -4.9 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 5.90 $ | 5.42 $ | -8.1 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 7.99 $ | 7.99 $ | +0.0 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 3.18 $ | 2.43 $ | -23.6 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 0.64 $ | 0.84 $ | +30.8 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 2.59 $ | 1.97 $ | -23.7 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 2.63 $ | 1.61 $ | -38.7 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.67 $ | 1.20 $ | -28.3 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.35 $ | 1.15 $ | -15.0 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 2.20 $ | 2.00 $ | -9.0 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 1.90 $ | 2.16 $ | +13.5 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 15.00 $ | 12.00 $ | -20.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 1.64 $ | 1.78 $ | +8.3 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 2.87 $ | 2.93 $ | +2.0 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 7.00 $ | 7.00 $ | 0.0 % |
Transportation | Charleston, SC Edit |
Columbia, SC Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.00 $ | 2.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 57.00 $ | 40.00 $ | -29.8 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 3.00 $ | 2.00 $ | -33.3 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 2.52 $ | 2.50 $ | -0.8 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 20.00 $ | 18.00 $ | -10.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 3.24 $ | 3.08 $ | -5.1 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 35,699.74 $ | 34,689.37 $ | -2.8 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 26,812.91 $ | 24,108.88 $ | -10.1 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Charleston, SC Edit |
Columbia, SC Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 257.02 $ | 215.33 $ | -16.2 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 67.70 $ | 50.41 $ | -25.5 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 65.50 $ | 47.49 $ | -27.5 % |
Sports And Leisure | Charleston, SC Edit |
Columbia, SC Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 29.00 $ | 40.00 $ | +37.9 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 17.50 $ | 0.00 $ | -100.0 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 13.25 $ | 12.92 $ | -2.5 % |
Childcare | Charleston, SC Edit |
Columbia, SC Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 1,540.00 $ | 1,802.11 $ | +17.0 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 26,000.00 $ | 25,965.00 $ | -0.1 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Charleston, SC Edit |
Columbia, SC Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 47.33 $ | 52.33 $ | +10.6 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 47.50 $ | 58.50 $ | +23.2 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 93.33 $ | 100.25 $ | +7.4 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 109.17 $ | 125.00 $ | +14.5 % |
Rent Per Month | Charleston, SC Edit |
Columbia, SC Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 2,166.67 $ | 1,466.67 $ | -32.3 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 1,550.00 $ | 1,050.00 $ | -32.3 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 4,320.00 $ | 2,500.00 $ | -42.1 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 2,650.00 $ | 1,100.00 $ | -58.5 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Charleston, SC Edit |
Columbia, SC Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 387.98 $ | 488.65 $ | +25.9 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 287.98 $ | 150.97 $ | -47.6 % |
Salaries And Financing | Charleston, SC Edit |
Columbia, SC Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 4,694.97 $ | 4,016.45 $ | -14.5 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 6.56 | 6.66 | +1.6 % |
| Last update: | May 2024 | May 2024 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 39 | 32 |
Moving to Charleston, SC? Explore:
Moving to Columbia, SC? Explore:
Cities near Charleston, SC: | Cost of Living in Goose Creek, South Carolina | 17.63 miles |
| Cost of Living in Savannah, Georgia | 107.85 miles |
| Cost of Living in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | 108.76 miles |
| Cost of Living in Columbia, South Carolina | 113.88 miles |
| Cost of Living in Wilmington, North Carolina | 167.68 miles |
| Cost of Living in Charlotte, North Carolina | 208.93 miles |
| Cost of Living in Hope Mills, North Carolina | 210.39 miles |
| Cost of Living in Greenville, South Carolina | 213.16 miles |
| Cost of Living in Stanfield, North Carolina | 236.20 miles |
| Cost of Living in Jacksonville, Florida | 238.86 miles |
Cities near Columbia, SC: | Cost of Living in Charlotte, North Carolina | 93.04 miles |
| Cost of Living in Goose Creek, South Carolina | 99.54 miles |
| Cost of Living in Greenville, South Carolina | 104.17 miles |
| Cost of Living in Hope Mills, North Carolina | 157.49 miles |
| Cost of Living in Savannah, Georgia | 157.61 miles |
| Cost of Living in Asheville, North Carolina | 158.01 miles |
| Cost of Living in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina | 158.53 miles |
| Cost of Living in Athens, Georgia | 163.49 miles |
| Cost of Living in Winston-Salem, North Carolina | 170.45 miles |
| Cost of Living in Greensboro, North Carolina | 183.87 miles |