Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Charleston, SC 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Charleston, SC is 5.9% lower than in Chicago, IL (without rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Charleston, SC is 6.6% lower than in Chicago, IL | |
| Rent Prices in Charleston, SC are 7.8% lower than in Chicago, IL | |
| Restaurant Prices in Charleston, SC are 3.0% higher than in Chicago, IL | |
| Groceries Prices in Charleston, SC are 13.0% lower than in Chicago, IL | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Charleston, SC is 2.8% higher than in Chicago, IL | |
Restaurants | Chicago, IL Edit |
Charleston, SC Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 25.00 $ | 25.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 100.00 $ | 115.00 $ | +15.0 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 12.00 $ | 10.00 $ | -16.7 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 8.00 $ | 6.75 $ | -15.6 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 8.00 $ | 8.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 5.15 $ | 5.29 $ | +2.8 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 2.99 $ | 2.35 $ | -21.3 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 2.40 $ | 2.10 $ | -12.4 % |
Markets | Chicago, IL Edit |
Charleston, SC Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 4.06 $ | 3.71 $ | -8.6 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 3.77 $ | 3.28 $ | -13.1 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 2.88 $ | 1.77 $ | -38.7 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 4.01 $ | 4.31 $ | +7.5 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 7.23 $ | 5.08 $ | -29.8 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 6.66 $ | 5.90 $ | -11.4 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 9.40 $ | 7.99 $ | -15.0 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.68 $ | 3.18 $ | +18.7 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 0.90 $ | 0.64 $ | -28.5 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 2.16 $ | 2.59 $ | +19.6 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 2.31 $ | 2.63 $ | +13.8 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.21 $ | 1.67 $ | +38.6 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.34 $ | 1.35 $ | +0.6 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 2.30 $ | 2.20 $ | -4.4 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 2.89 $ | 1.90 $ | -34.2 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 15.00 $ | 15.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 2.43 $ | 1.64 $ | -32.5 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 4.10 $ | 2.87 $ | -29.9 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 16.50 $ | 7.00 $ | -57.6 % |
Transportation | Chicago, IL Edit |
Charleston, SC Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.50 $ | 2.00 $ | -20.0 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 80.00 $ | 57.00 $ | -28.7 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 3.25 $ | 3.00 $ | -7.7 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 2.25 $ | 2.52 $ | +12.0 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 25.00 $ | 20.00 $ | -20.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 4.14 $ | 3.22 $ | -22.2 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 37,383.69 $ | 35,699.74 $ | -4.5 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 26,997.89 $ | 26,812.91 $ | -0.7 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Chicago, IL Edit |
Charleston, SC Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 160.44 $ | 257.02 $ | +60.2 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 55.69 $ | 70.64 $ | +26.8 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 56.44 $ | 65.50 $ | +16.0 % |
Sports And Leisure | Chicago, IL Edit |
Charleston, SC Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 75.80 $ | 29.00 $ | -61.7 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 13.00 $ | 17.50 $ | +34.6 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 15.00 $ | 13.25 $ | -11.7 % |
Childcare | Chicago, IL Edit |
Charleston, SC Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 2,308.33 $ | 1,540.00 $ | -33.3 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 45,450.00 $ | 26,000.00 $ | -42.8 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Chicago, IL Edit |
Charleston, SC Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 61.53 $ | 47.33 $ | -23.1 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 53.75 $ | 47.50 $ | -11.6 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 97.36 $ | 93.33 $ | -4.1 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 126.54 $ | 109.17 $ | -13.7 % |
Rent Per Month | Chicago, IL Edit |
Charleston, SC Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 2,458.65 $ | 2,166.67 $ | -11.9 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 1,522.42 $ | 1,550.00 $ | +1.8 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 4,620.00 $ | 4,320.00 $ | -6.5 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 2,991.67 $ | 2,650.00 $ | -11.4 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Chicago, IL Edit |
Charleston, SC Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 330.00 $ | 387.98 $ | +17.6 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 258.01 $ | 287.98 $ | +11.6 % |
Salaries And Financing | Chicago, IL Edit |
Charleston, SC Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 4,889.66 $ | 4,694.97 $ | -4.0 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 6.64 | 6.56 | -1.3 % |
| Last update: | June 2024 | June 2024 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 232 | 40 |
Moving to Chicago, IL? Explore:
Moving to Charleston, SC? Explore:
Cities near Chicago, IL: | Cost of Living in Oak Park, Illinois | 9.14 miles |
| Cost of Living in Evanston, Illinois | 14.20 miles |
| Cost of Living in La Grange Park, Illinois | 15.03 miles |
| Cost of Living in Franklin Park, Illinois | 16.69 miles |
| Cost of Living in Des Plaines, Illinois | 20.82 miles |
| Cost of Living in East Chicago, Indiana | 23.76 miles |
| Cost of Living in Wheaton, Illinois | 25.81 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bolingbrook, Illinois | 29.21 miles |
| Cost of Living in Naperville, Illinois | 30.13 miles |
| Cost of Living in Schaumburg, Illinois | 30.60 miles |
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 |