Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Charleston, SC and Orlando, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Orlando, FL: $2,948 a month against $3,314 in Charleston, SC, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

160

Cost of Living Index in Charleston, SC
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Charleston, SC Living Index
144

Cost of Living Index in Orlando, FL
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Orlando, FL Living Index

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Charleston, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$3,314

/mo nomad

Orlando, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,948

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Charleston, SC and in Orlando, FL

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 Orlando, FL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,314 per month in Charleston, SC vs $2,948 in Orlando, FL, rent included.

Charleston, SC $3,314
Orlando, FL $2,948

A couple spends around $4,834 per month in Charleston, SC vs $4,339 in Orlando, FL, rent included.

Charleston, SC $4,834
Orlando, FL $4,339

A family of three spends $6,355 per month in Charleston, SC vs $5,731 in Orlando, FL, rent included.

Charleston, SC $6,355
Orlando, FL $5,731

Charleston, SC costs about 12% more than Orlando, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Charleston, SC and Orlando, FL sit above the global median – Charleston, SC by 145%, Orlando, FL by 118%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.88 $19.88

$21.35 $21.35

-6.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$131 $131

$80.1 $80.1

63.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 $11.91

$12.99 $12.99

-8.31%

Cappuccino

$5.90 $5.90

$5.15 $5.15

14.56%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$4.00 $4.00

-27.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.91 $2.91

-18.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 $6.68

$6.18 $6.18

8.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$8.11 $8.11

-2.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.14 $1.14

0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 $4.13

$3.75 $3.75

10.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$4.43 $4.43

3.16%

Eggs

$5.25 $5.25

$3.57 $3.57

47.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.51 $22.51

$12.17 $12.17

84.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.38 $14.38

$11.05 $11.05

30.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.97 $20.97

$18.25 $18.25

14.90%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.02 $6.02

32.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.03 $2.03

-8.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$5.03 $5.03

-0.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$4.72 $4.72

50.21%

Potato (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$3.80 $3.80

33.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.43 $3.43

6.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 $2.85

$2.48 $2.48

14.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.36 $2.36

39.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.84 $9.84

$9.41 $9.41

4.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.33 $20.33

$15.02 $15.02

35.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.36 $3.36

-18.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.65 $3.65

-16.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.8 $57.8

$51.0 $51.0

13.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.97 $2.97

3.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.95 $1.95

-36.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.67 $31.67

$34.41 $34.41

-7.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.08 $1.08

-11.11%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$36.5K $36.5K

-2.00%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.8K $26.8K

-3.75%

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

$233 $233

$201 $201

16.22%

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

$78.3 $78.3

$62.3 $62.3

25.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.8 $85.8

$76.1 $76.1

12.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.77 $45.77

$39.78 $39.78

15.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.74 $19.74

$14.46 $14.46

36.51%

Cinema Ticket

$14.14 $14.14

$16.75 $16.75

-15.58%

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

$1,274 $1,274

$1,567 $1,567

-18.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.2K $27.2K

$21.4K $21.4K

27.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.9 $78.9

$65.0 $65.0

21.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.52 $45.52

$40.30 $40.30

12.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$93.0 $93.0

22.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$119 $119

14.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,353 $2,353

$1,994 $1,994

18.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,728 $1,728

$1,551 $1,551

11.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,610 $3,610

$3,179 $3,179

13.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,630 $2,630

$2,642 $2,642

-0.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,673 $5,673

$3,073 $3,073

84.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,048 $3,048

$2,753 $2,753

10.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,858 $4,858

$4,720 $4,720

2.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.75

-3.56%

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

Last update for Charleston, SC: October 12, 2026

Last update for Orlando, FL: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Charleston, SC

$1.7K 52.2%

Orlando, FL

$1.6K 52.6% 10.2% $177

Groceries & Markets

Charleston, SC

$535 16.1%

Orlando, FL

$424 14.4% 20.7% $111

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Charleston, SC

$397 12%

Orlando, FL

$339 11.5% 14.7% $58

Eating Out

Charleston, SC

$336 10.1%

Orlando, FL

$346 11.8% 3.1% $11

Clothing & Footwear

Charleston, SC

$169 5.1%

Orlando, FL

$143 4.8% 15.4% $26

Getting Around

Charleston, SC

$75 2.3%

Orlando, FL

$72 2.4% 4.4% $3.3

Sport & Entertainment

Charleston, SC

$74 2.2%

Orlando, FL

$73 2.5% 1% $0.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,353 in Charleston, SC versus $1,994 in Orlando, FL. 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 3% higher in Charleston, SC, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $131 in Charleston, SC versus $80.0 in Orlando, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $535 vs $424 – making Orlando, FL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Charleston, SC

🇺🇸 Orlando, FL

🕒 Local time

07:50 7:50 AM

Same time as Charleston, SC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

150,227

307,573

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Charleston, SC Orlando, FL 490 km

From you

Charleston, SC
Orlando, FL

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 Orlando, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Charleston, SC costs about 12% more than Orlando, FL, 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 $4,422 in Orlando, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Orlando, FL, 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 $1,567 in Orlando, FL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 $2,948 in Orlando, FL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Orlando, FL – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Orlando, FL. 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.