Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Charleston, SC Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Charleston, SC

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,508 per month in Milan vs $2,987 in Charleston, SC, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,853 per month in Milan vs $4,266 in Charleston, SC, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,197 per month in Milan vs $5,544 in Charleston, SC, rent included.

Milan is about 16% cheaper than Charleston, SC, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Milan and Charleston, SC sit above the global median – Milan by 87%, Charleston, SC by 123%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.06 €19.86

$18.31 $18.31

25.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.1 €79.3

$78.6 $78.6

17.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.73 €10.96

$10.18 $10.18

25.05%

Cappuccino

$2.17 €1.87

$5.00 $5.00

-56.60%

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

$3.23 €2.78

$2.42 $2.42

33.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.88 $1.88

-20.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 €6.12

$6.17 $6.17

15.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 €4.92

$7.76 $7.76

-26.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 €1.58

$1.01 $1.01

82.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 €2.42

$3.82 $3.82

-26.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 €2.87

$3.18 $3.18

5.03%

Eggs

$4.31 €3.71

$4.67 $4.67

-7.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 €17.00

$14.00 $14.00

41.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.02 €11.21

$15.05 $15.05

-13.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.69 €21.26

$17.20 $17.20

43.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 €2.45

$5.72 $5.72

-50.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.31 €1.99

$1.66 $1.66

39.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.37 €2.90

$6.43 $6.43

-47.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 €3.39

$4.05 $4.05

-2.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$3.83 $3.83

-32.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$2.86 $2.86

-23.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 €1.40

$1.80 $1.80

-9.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.60

$1.96 $1.96

-64.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.88 €5.92

$7.30 $7.30

-5.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.11 €7.84

$19.70 $19.70

-53.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 €2.02

$1.86 $1.86

26.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 €2.58

$3.18 $3.18

-5.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.14

$2.04 $2.04

22.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.58 €39.25

$57.5 $57.5

-20.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 €7.00

$2.94 $2.94

176.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 €2.26

$1.60 $1.60

64.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.61 €34.11

$19.70 $19.70

101.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.76

$0.77 $0.77

166.23%

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

$33.4K €28.8K

$33.2K $33.2K

0.75%

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

$36.4K €31.3K

$24.6K $24.6K

48.01%

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

$216 €186

$143 $143

51.26%

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

$11.71 €10.08

$53.8 $53.8

-78.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.47 €26.24

$73.3 $73.3

-58.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.1 €64.7

$29.48 $29.48

154.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.13 €31.97

$18.21 $18.21

103.90%

Cinema Ticket

$11.74 €10.11

$13.10 $13.10

-10.38%

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

$875 €753

$1,326 $1,326

-34.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K €14.4K

$24.7K $24.7K

-32.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$115 €99.1

$49.37 $49.37

133.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.2 €45.85

$35.46 $35.46

50.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €99.0

$92.4 $92.4

24.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$171 €147

$156 $156

9.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 €1,388

$2,511 $2,511

-35.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,137 €979

$1,725 $1,725

-34.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,138 €2,702

$4,406 $4,406

-28.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,084 €1,795

$2,698 $2,698

-22.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,515

$5,667 $5,667

94.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,565 €4,792

$2,973 $2,973

87.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,270 €1,955

$4,627 $4,627

-50.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

6.51

-50.08%

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

Last update for Milan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Charleston, SC: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Milan versus $2,511 in Charleston, SC. 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 104% 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 $92.0 in Milan versus $79.0 in Charleston, SC. Groceries tell a different story – $400 in Milan vs $436 in Charleston, SC – so Milan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Charleston, SC costs about 19% more than Milan, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,762 per month in Milan and $4,480 in Charleston, SC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $875 per month in Milan and $1,326 in Charleston, SC. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% 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.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,508 in Milan and $2,987 in Charleston, SC. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Milan costs $2,508 versus $2,987 in Charleston, SC. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Milan. 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.