Cost of Living Comparison Between North Charleston, SC and Utrecht Cost of Living Comparison Between North Charleston, SC and Utrecht

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,620 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $3,019 in Utrecht, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,840 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $4,253 in Utrecht, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,060 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $5,486 in Utrecht, rent included.

North Charleston, SC is about 13% cheaper than Utrecht, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both North Charleston, SC and Utrecht sit above the global median – North Charleston, SC by 95%, Utrecht by 125%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.18 $18.18

$20.75 €17.70

-12.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$86.3 €73.6

-1.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 $9.90

$13.73 €11.71

-27.90%

Cappuccino

$6.21 $6.21

$4.47 €3.81

38.93%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$4.12 €3.52

-38.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$3.29 €2.80

-28.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$7.11 €6.06

-17.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$5.75 €4.91

40.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.33 €1.14

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 $4.13

$2.46 €2.10

67.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.14 €2.68

-2.87%

Eggs

$3.90 $3.90

$5.36 €4.57

-27.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.70 $13.70

$14.11 €12.03

-2.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.41 $12.41

$16.14 €13.77

-23.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.11 $15.11

$17.49 €14.92

-13.61%

Apples (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$2.47 €2.11

172.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.51 €2.14

-35.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.00 €1.70

127.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.78 $5.78

$3.79 €3.24

52.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.96 €1.67

43.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.21 €1.88

30.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.32 €1.12

48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.14 €0.97

108.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.39 $7.39

$14.23 €12.14

-48.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$7.34 €6.26

108.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.39 €1.19

31.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.71 €2.31

-2.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.52 €3.01

-1.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.77 $30.77

$75.8 €64.6

-59.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.79 €3.23

-19.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$2.43 €2.08

-37.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.63 $19.63

$26.94 €22.98

-27.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$2.23 €1.91

-62.33%

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

$29.1K $29.1K

$40.2K €34.3K

-27.71%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$40.0K €34.2K

-36.55%

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

$211 $211

$287 €245

-26.22%

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

$64.7 $64.7

$26.72 €22.79

142.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 $73.3

$47.67 €40.66

53.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.19 $42.19

$46.86 €39.97

-9.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.46 €20.01

Cinema Ticket

$12.08 $12.08

$16.07 €13.71

-24.83%

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

$763 $763

$2,672 €2,279

-71.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K $14.5K

$11.0K €9,384

31.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.7 $60.7

$116 €98.7

-47.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.93 $43.93

$61.9 €52.8

-29.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 $95.1

$106 €90.5

-10.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$127 €109

9.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,903 $1,903

$1,863 €1,589

2.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 $1,290

$1,580 €1,348

-18.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,965 $1,965

$2,853 €2,433

-31.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,996 $1,996

$2,278 €1,943

-12.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,863 $2,863

$7,806 €6,658

-63.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,815 $2,815

$5,648 €4,817

-50.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,349 $4,349

$4,682 €3,994

-7.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

4.39

47.84%

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

Last update for North Charleston, SC: April 19, 2026

Last update for Utrecht: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,903 in North Charleston, SC versus $1,863 in Utrecht. 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 8% higher in Utrecht, 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 $85 in North Charleston, SC versus $86 in Utrecht. Groceries tell a different story – $413 in North Charleston, SC vs $358 in Utrecht – so Utrecht 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

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

Utrecht costs about 15% more than North Charleston, SC, 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 $3,930 per month in North Charleston, SC and $4,528 in Utrecht. 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 15% cheaper in Utrecht – 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 $85.0 in North Charleston, SC and $86.0 in Utrecht. 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 $2,620 in North Charleston, SC and $3,019 in Utrecht. 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 $2,620 versus $3,019 in Utrecht. 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 North Charleston, SC. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Utrecht makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.