Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in North Charleston, SC: $2,964 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
141

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

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

North Charleston, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,964

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Seattle, WA and in North Charleston, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,964 in North Charleston, SC, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,762
North Charleston, SC $2,964

A couple spends around $5,651 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,247 in North Charleston, SC, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,651
North Charleston, SC $4,247

A family of three spends $7,541 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,530 in North Charleston, SC, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,541
North Charleston, SC $5,530

Seattle, WA costs about 27% more than North Charleston, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and North Charleston, SC sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, North Charleston, SC by 119%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$19.99 $19.99

19.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$90.6 $90.6

8.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$11.77 $11.77

26.93%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$5.85 $5.85

16.07%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.92 $2.92

10.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.48 $2.48

27.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$5.86 $5.86

40.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$8.03 $8.03

-1.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.99 $0.99

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.74 $3.74

41.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$4.52 $4.52

27.43%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$4.94 $4.94

-1.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$6.98 $6.98

190.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$14.80 $14.80

21.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$20.65 $20.65

13.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$7.99 $7.99

-25.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.77 $1.77

6.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$5.03 $5.03

6.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$6.17 $6.17

6.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$4.24 $4.24

-20.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.25 $3.25

-11.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.69 $2.69

7.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.97 $1.97

23.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$9.07 $9.07

34.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$15.52 $15.52

-1.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.11 $2.11

107.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$2.98 $2.98

97.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.47 $2.47

19.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$50.1 $50.1

118.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.94 $2.94

-14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.22 $1.22

40.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$25.47 $25.47

16.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.01 $1.01

49.50%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$26.7K $26.7K

35.31%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.1K $25.1K

2.49%

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

$289 $289

$233 $233

24.04%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$74.5 $74.5

-7.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$84.9 $84.9

-0.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$17.26 $17.26

302.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$14.28 $14.28

25.84%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$933 $933

202.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$18.4K $18.4K

138.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$55.8 $55.8

63.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$43.75 $43.75

25.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$115 $115

10.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$129 $129

25.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$2,000 $2,000

28.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,525 $1,525

27.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,474 $2,474

106.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,330 $2,330

51.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$2,861 $2,861

157.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$2,816 $2,816

74.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$3,763 $3,763

71.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.61

2.87%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for North Charleston, SC: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

North Charleston, SC

$1.5K 51.5% 21.5% $417

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

North Charleston, SC

$445 15% 18.2% $99

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

North Charleston, SC

$392 13.2% 11.4% $50

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

North Charleston, SC

$332 11.2% 16.7% $67

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

North Charleston, SC

$155 5.2% 21.1% $41

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

North Charleston, SC

$69 2.3% 47.8% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

North Charleston, SC

$46 1.6% 56.5% $60

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $2,000 in North 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 71% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Seattle, WA versus $91 in North Charleston, SC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $544 vs $445 – making North Charleston, SC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 North Charleston, SC

🕒 Local time

02:02 2:02 AM

05:02 5:02 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

97,471

💱 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

Seattle, WA North Charleston, SC 3,890 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
North Charleston, SC

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

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

Seattle, WA costs about 27% 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 $5,642 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,446 in North Charleston, SC. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,000 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Seattle, WA and $91 in North Charleston, SC. 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 $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $2,964 in North Charleston, SC. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward North Charleston, SC – 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 North Charleston, SC. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.