Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Charleston, SC and Chicago, IL

For one person, living costs are similar in Charleston, SC and in Chicago, IL: $3,314 and $3,185 a month, rent and utilities included.

160

Cost of Living Index in Charleston, SC
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Charleston, SC Living Index
153

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Charleston, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$3,314

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,185

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Charleston, SC and in Chicago, IL

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Charleston, SC and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,314 per month in Charleston, SC vs $3,185 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Charleston, SC $3,314
Chicago, IL $3,185

A couple spends around $4,834 per month in Charleston, SC vs $4,631 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Charleston, SC $4,834
Chicago, IL $4,631

A family of three spends $6,355 per month in Charleston, SC vs $6,077 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

Charleston, SC $6,355
Chicago, IL $6,077

Charleston, SC costs about 4% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Charleston, SC and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – Charleston, SC by 145%, Chicago, IL by 136%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.88 $19.88

$21.58 $21.58

-7.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$131 $131

$88.7 $88.7

47.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 $11.91

$13.20 $13.20

-9.77%

Cappuccino

$5.90 $5.90

$5.59 $5.59

5.55%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.63 $2.63

10.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.26 $2.26

4.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 $6.68

$7.11 $7.11

-6.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$9.23 $9.23

-14.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.28 $1.28

-10.16%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 $4.13

$3.84 $3.84

7.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$5.07 $5.07

-9.86%

Eggs

$5.25 $5.25

$4.84 $4.84

8.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.51 $22.51

$14.17 $14.17

58.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.38 $14.38

$14.61 $14.61

-1.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.97 $20.97

$18.76 $18.76

11.78%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.19 $5.19

53.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.00 $2.00

-7.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$4.00 $4.00

24.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$4.98 $4.98

42.37%

Potato (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.79 $2.79

82.08%

Onion (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.65 $2.65

37.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.13 $2.13

33.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.09 $3.09

6.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.84 $9.84

$16.05 $16.05

-38.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.33 $20.33

$15.20 $15.20

33.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.62 $2.62

4.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.46 $3.46

-12.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.47 $2.47

-19.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.8 $57.8

$75.1 $75.1

-23.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.21 $3.21

-4.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.39 $1.39

-11.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.67 $31.67

$25.02 $25.02

26.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.24 $1.24

-22.58%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.7K $35.7K

$37.2K $37.2K

-3.92%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.8K $25.8K

-0.05%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$233 $233

$192 $192

21.23%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$78.3 $78.3

$67.8 $67.8

15.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.8 $85.8

$60.9 $60.9

40.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.77 $45.77

$53.6 $53.6

-14.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.74 $19.74

$27.90 $27.90

-29.25%

Cinema Ticket

$14.14 $14.14

$17.80 $17.80

-20.56%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,274 $1,274

$1,554 $1,554

-18.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.2K $27.2K

$31.4K $31.4K

-13.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.9 $78.9

$67.9 $67.9

16.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.52 $45.52

$50.8 $50.8

-10.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$101 $101

12.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$143 $143

-4.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,353 $2,353

$2,383 $2,383

-1.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,728 $1,728

$1,712 $1,712

0.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,610 $3,610

$4,674 $4,674

-22.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,630 $2,630

$2,738 $2,738

-3.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,673 $5,673

$4,158 $4,158

36.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,048 $3,048

$2,691 $2,691

13.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,858 $4,858

$4,894 $4,894

-0.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.77

-3.84%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Charleston, SC: October 12, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Charleston, SC

$1.7K 52.2%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.8% 0.9% $16

Groceries & Markets

Charleston, SC

$535 16.1%

Chicago, IL

$451 14.2% 15.6% $84

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Charleston, SC

$397 12%

Chicago, IL

$321 10.1% 19.2% $76

Eating Out

Charleston, SC

$336 10.1%

Chicago, IL

$353 11.1% 5.1% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Charleston, SC

$169 5.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.1% 3% $5.1

Getting Around

Charleston, SC

$75 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 27% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Charleston, SC

$74 2.2%

Chicago, IL

$89 2.8% 20.4% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,353 in Charleston, SC versus $2,383 in Chicago, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Chicago, IL, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $131 in Charleston, SC versus $89.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $535 vs $451 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Charleston, SC

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

08:35 8:35 AM

07:35 7:35 AM

1 h behind Charleston, SC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

150,227

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Charleston, SC Chicago, IL 1,220 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Charleston, SC
Chicago, IL

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Charleston, SC vs Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Charleston, SC costs about 4% more than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,970 per month in Charleston, SC and $4,777 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chicago, IL, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,274 per month in Charleston, SC and $1,554 in Chicago, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Charleston, SC, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,314 in Charleston, SC and $3,185 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chicago, IL costs $3,185 versus $3,314 in Charleston, SC. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Chicago, IL. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Charleston, SC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.