Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between North Charleston, SC and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in North Charleston, SC: $2,932 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $10,200 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
184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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North Charleston, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,932

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in North Charleston, SC and in Seattle, WA

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 Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,932 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

North Charleston, SC $2,932
Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $4,243 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

North Charleston, SC $4,243
Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $5,554 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

North Charleston, SC $5,554
Seattle, WA $7,489

North Charleston, SC is about 22% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both North Charleston, SC and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – North Charleston, SC by 116%, Seattle, WA by 179%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.08 $20.08

$24.52 $24.52

-18.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 $92.3

$98.2 $98.2

-6.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$14.79 $14.79

-19.81%

Cappuccino

$5.93 $5.93

$6.52 $6.52

-9.05%

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

$2.92 $2.92

$3.23 $3.23

-9.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.17 $3.17

-20.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$7.85 $7.85

-24.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 $7.92

$8.03 $8.03

-1.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.21 $1.21

-14.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$5.14 $5.14

-27.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$6.05 $6.05

-21.82%

Eggs

$5.10 $5.10

$4.88 $4.88

4.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.38 $7.38

$19.18 $19.18

-61.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.76 $14.76

$18.91 $18.91

-21.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.30 $20.30

$23.31 $23.31

-12.91%

Apples (1kg)

$8.26 $8.26

$5.99 $5.99

37.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.93 $1.93

-8.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$5.25 $5.25

-2.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$6.57 $6.57

-2.59%

Potato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.62 $3.62

20.72%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$3.31 $3.31

-3.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.78 $2.78

-9.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.51 $2.51

-18.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.94 $8.94

$12.18 $12.18

-26.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 $15.38

$14.83 $14.83

3.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$4.22 $4.22

-49.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$5.77 $5.77

-48.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.95 $2.95

-16.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.53 $49.53

$106 $106

-53.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.65 $2.65

15.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.72 $1.72

-26.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.64 $32.64

$29.72 $29.72

9.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.49 $1.49

-33.56%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$35.9K $35.9K

-25.41%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.2K $26.2K

-1.71%

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

$223 $223

$302 $302

-26.07%

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

$75.9 $75.9

$70.1 $70.1

8.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$85.3 $85.3

1.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.45 $17.45

$77.8 $77.8

-77.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$13.79 $13.79

$17.84 $17.84

-22.70%

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

$920 $920

$2,973 $2,973

-69.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K $18.4K

$31.3K $31.3K

-41.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 $65.4

$76.6 $76.6

-14.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.10 $45.10

$54.1 $54.1

-16.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$128 $128

-12.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$164 $164

-20.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,063 $2,063

$2,445 $2,445

-15.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 $1,489

$1,947 $1,947

-23.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,429 $2,429

$4,744 $4,744

-48.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,328 $2,328

$3,469 $3,469

-32.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,844 $2,844

$7,367 $7,367

-61.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,898 $2,898

$5,127 $5,127

-43.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,763 $3,763

$6,506 $6,506

-42.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.89

-4.64%

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 Seattle, WA: 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%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 30.7% $457

Groceries & Markets

North Charleston, SC

$450 15.3%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 21.3% $96

Monthly Utilities & Internet

North Charleston, SC

$385 13.1%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 18.7% $72

Eating Out

North Charleston, SC

$334 11.4%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 19.5% $65

Clothing & Footwear

North Charleston, SC

$159 5.4%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 19.7% $31

Getting Around

North Charleston, SC

$69 2.3%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 88.1% $61

Sport & Entertainment

North Charleston, SC

$45 1.5%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 152% $68

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,063 in North Charleston, SC versus $2,445 in Seattle, WA. 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 73% higher in Seattle, WA, 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 $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $450 vs $546 – making North Charleston, SC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 North Charleston, SC

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

04:50 4:50 AM

01:50 1:50 AM

3 h behind North Charleston, SC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

97,471

737,015

💱 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 Seattle, WA 3,890 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

North Charleston, SC
Seattle, WA

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 Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA costs about 29% more than North Charleston, SC, 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 $4,397 per month in North Charleston, SC and $5,673 in Seattle, WA. 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.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92.0 in North Charleston, SC and $98.0 in Seattle, WA. 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 $3,782 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. North Charleston, SC costs $2,932 versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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