Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in North Charleston, SC: $2,932 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $2,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

142

Cost of Living Index in North Charleston, SC
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North Charleston, SC Living Index
152

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

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North Charleston, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,932

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in North 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 North Charleston, SC and in Chicago, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,932 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

North Charleston, SC $2,932
Chicago, IL $3,139

A couple spends around $4,243 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $4,627 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

North Charleston, SC $4,243
Chicago, IL $4,627

A family of three spends $5,554 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $6,115 in Chicago, IL, rent included.

North Charleston, SC $5,554
Chicago, IL $6,115

North Charleston, SC is about 7% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both North Charleston, SC and Chicago, IL sit above the global median – North Charleston, SC by 116%, Chicago, IL by 132%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.08 $20.08

$20.65 $20.65

-2.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 $92.3

$90.2 $90.2

2.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$12.94 $12.94

-8.35%

Cappuccino

$5.93 $5.93

$5.60 $5.60

5.89%

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

$2.92 $2.92

$2.64 $2.64

10.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.27 $2.27

11.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$6.98 $6.98

-15.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 $7.92

$8.83 $8.83

-10.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.27 $1.27

-18.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$3.80 $3.80

-1.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$5.30 $5.30

-10.75%

Eggs

$5.10 $5.10

$4.76 $4.76

7.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.38 $7.38

$13.96 $13.96

-47.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.76 $14.76

$14.61 $14.61

1.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.30 $20.30

$18.77 $18.77

8.15%

Apples (1kg)

$8.26 $8.26

$5.19 $5.19

59.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.98 $1.98

-11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.93 $3.93

30.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.96 $4.96

29.03%

Potato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.76 $2.76

58.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.76 $2.76

15.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.22 $2.22

13.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.98 $2.98

-31.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.94 $8.94

$14.02 $14.02

-36.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 $15.38

$15.28 $15.28

0.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.58 $2.58

-17.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.50 $3.50

-15.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.53 $49.53

$74.8 $74.8

-33.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.34 $3.34

-8.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.43 $1.43

-11.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.64 $32.64

$24.32 $24.32

34.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.26 $1.26

-21.43%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$35.0K $35.0K

-23.52%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.06%

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

$223 $223

$193 $193

15.81%

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

$75.9 $75.9

$68.3 $68.3

11.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$61.3 $61.3

40.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.45 $17.45

$54.1 $54.1

-67.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

Cinema Ticket

$13.79 $13.79

$17.74 $17.74

-22.27%

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

$920 $920

$1,652 $1,652

-44.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K $18.4K

$31.1K $31.1K

-40.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 $65.4

$66.1 $66.1

-1.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.10 $45.10

$51.2 $51.2

-11.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$100 $100

11.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$141 $141

-7.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,063 $2,063

$2,446 $2,446

-15.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 $1,489

$1,678 $1,678

-11.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,429 $2,429

$4,717 $4,717

-48.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,328 $2,328

$2,795 $2,795

-16.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,844 $2,844

$4,105 $4,105

-30.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,898 $2,898

$2,650 $2,650

9.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,763 $3,763

$4,866 $4,866

-22.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.81

-3.52%

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

Last update for North Charleston, SC: October 18, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

North Charleston, SC

$1.5K 50.8%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 12.6% $188

Groceries & Markets

North Charleston, SC

$450 15.3%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 0.1% $0.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

North Charleston, SC

$385 13.1%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 16.3% $63

Eating Out

North Charleston, SC

$334 11.4%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 2.7% $9

Clothing & Footwear

North Charleston, SC

$159 5.4%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 1.4% $2.3

Getting Around

North Charleston, SC

$69 2.3%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 38.4% $26

Sport & Entertainment

North Charleston, SC

$45 1.5%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 99% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,063 in North Charleston, SC versus $2,446 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 29% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 North Charleston, SC versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $450 vs $449 – making Chicago, IL the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 North Charleston, SC

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

04:47 4:47 AM

03:47 3:47 AM

1 h behind North Charleston, SC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

97,471

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

North Charleston, SC Chicago, IL 1,210 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

North 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,932 in North Charleston, SC, $3,139 in Chicago, IL – roughly 7% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,397 per month in North Charleston, SC and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92.0 in North Charleston, SC and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,932 in North Charleston, SC and $3,139 in Chicago, IL. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,932 in North Charleston, SC to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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