Cost of Living Comparison Between Washington, DC and Charleston, SC 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Charleston, SC is 7.4% lower than in Washington, DC (without rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Charleston, SC is 13.9% lower than in Washington, DC | |
| Rent Prices in Charleston, SC are 22.6% lower than in Washington, DC | |
| Restaurant Prices in Charleston, SC are 2.4% higher than in Washington, DC | |
| Groceries Prices in Charleston, SC are 6.7% lower than in Washington, DC | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Charleston, SC is 6.7% lower than in Washington, DC | |
Restaurants | Washington, DC 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) | 9.00 $ | 8.00 $ | -11.1 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 5.51 $ | 5.29 $ | -3.9 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 2.49 $ | 2.35 $ | -5.6 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 2.22 $ | 2.10 $ | -5.3 % |
Markets | Washington, DC Edit |
Charleston, SC Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 4.09 $ | 3.71 $ | -9.2 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 3.71 $ | 3.28 $ | -11.5 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 2.16 $ | 1.77 $ | -18.3 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 3.82 $ | 4.31 $ | +12.9 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 6.73 $ | 5.08 $ | -24.5 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 5.97 $ | 5.90 $ | -1.1 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 7.96 $ | 7.99 $ | +0.3 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.44 $ | 3.18 $ | +30.5 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 0.85 $ | 0.64 $ | -25.0 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 2.33 $ | 2.59 $ | +10.9 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 2.51 $ | 2.63 $ | +4.9 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.50 $ | 1.67 $ | +11.5 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.43 $ | 1.35 $ | -5.7 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 2.59 $ | 2.20 $ | -15.1 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 2.53 $ | 1.90 $ | -24.8 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 16.00 $ | 15.00 $ | -6.2 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 2.55 $ | 1.64 $ | -35.6 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 4.63 $ | 2.87 $ | -38.0 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 13.00 $ | 7.00 $ | -46.2 % |
Transportation | Washington, DC Edit |
Charleston, SC Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.50 $ | 2.00 $ | -20.0 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 75.00 $ | 57.00 $ | -24.0 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 3.50 $ | 3.00 $ | -14.3 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 4.00 $ | 2.52 $ | -37.0 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 30.00 $ | 20.00 $ | -33.3 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 3.65 $ | 3.22 $ | -11.7 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 35,699.74 $ | 35,699.74 $ | 0.0 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 26,275.78 $ | 26,812.91 $ | +2.0 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Washington, DC Edit |
Charleston, SC Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 188.18 $ | 257.02 $ | +36.6 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 59.95 $ | 70.64 $ | +17.8 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 65.10 $ | 65.50 $ | +0.6 % |
Sports And Leisure | Washington, DC Edit |
Charleston, SC Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 107.50 $ | 29.00 $ | -73.0 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 31.22 $ | 17.50 $ | -43.9 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 15.00 $ | 13.25 $ | -11.7 % |
Childcare | Washington, DC Edit |
Charleston, SC Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 2,285.75 $ | 1,540.00 $ | -32.6 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 48,250.00 $ | 26,000.00 $ | -46.1 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Washington, DC Edit |
Charleston, SC Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 75.55 $ | 47.33 $ | -37.4 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 50.77 $ | 47.50 $ | -6.4 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 111.24 $ | 93.33 $ | -16.1 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 178.48 $ | 109.17 $ | -38.8 % |
Rent Per Month | Washington, DC Edit |
Charleston, SC Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 2,564.77 $ | 2,166.67 $ | -15.5 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 2,038.70 $ | 1,550.00 $ | -24.0 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 5,467.50 $ | 4,320.00 $ | -21.0 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 3,740.28 $ | 2,650.00 $ | -29.1 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Washington, DC Edit |
Charleston, SC Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 841.88 $ | 387.98 $ | -53.9 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 582.34 $ | 287.98 $ | -50.5 % |
Salaries And Financing | Washington, DC Edit |
Charleston, SC Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 5,846.22 $ | 4,694.97 $ | -19.7 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 6.52 | 6.56 | +0.7 % |
| Last update: | June 2024 | June 2024 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 144 | 40 |
Moving to Washington, DC? Explore:
Moving to Charleston, SC? Explore:
Cities near Washington, DC: | Cost of Living in Arlington, Virginia | 4.38 miles |
| Cost of Living in Chevy Chase, Maryland | 7.01 miles |
| Cost of Living in Springfield, Virginia | 13.51 miles |
| Cost of Living in Rockville, Maryland | 17.91 miles |
| Cost of Living in Baltimore, Maryland | 38.92 miles |
| Cost of Living in Fredericksburg, Virginia | 52.45 miles |
| Cost of Living in Lexington Park, Maryland | 61.00 miles |
| Cost of Living in Richmond, Virginia | 106.83 miles |
| Cost of Living in Lancaster, Pennsylvania | 113.70 miles |
| Cost of Living in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | 117.62 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 |