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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,933 per month in Utrecht vs $2,684 in North Charleston, SC, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,136 per month in Utrecht vs $3,818 in North Charleston, SC, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,340 per month in Utrecht vs $4,953 in North Charleston, SC, rent included.

Utrecht costs about 9% more than North Charleston, SC, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Utrecht and North Charleston, SC sit above the global median – Utrecht by 120%, North Charleston, SC by 101%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.05 €18.44

$17.87 $17.87

17.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.1 €76.3

$85.6 $85.6

1.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.83 €12.12

$9.96 $9.96

38.86%

Cappuccino

$4.62 €4.05

$6.57 $6.57

-29.68%

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

$3.93 €3.44

$2.57 $2.57

52.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 €2.85

$2.33 $2.33

39.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.12 €6.23

$6.01 $6.01

18.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 €5.16

$8.15 $8.15

-27.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.16

$0.93 $0.93

41.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 €2.19

$4.04 $4.04

-38.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.04 €2.66

$3.20 $3.20

-5.00%

Eggs

$5.38 €4.72

$3.73 $3.73

44.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.28 €12.51

$13.81 $13.81

3.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.44 €14.40

$12.69 $12.69

29.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.79 €15.59

$14.83 $14.83

19.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.08

$6.77 $6.77

-64.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 €2.17

$1.65 $1.65

50.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 €1.68

$4.67 $4.67

-59.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 €3.20

$5.73 $5.73

-36.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 €1.71

$2.76 $2.76

-28.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 €1.94

$2.90 $2.90

-23.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 €1.14

$2.00 $2.00

-35.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 €1.00

$2.30 $2.30

-50.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.94 €12.21

$7.70 $7.70

81.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.79 €5.95

$15.37 $15.37

-55.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.26

$1.83 $1.83

-21.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 €2.28

$2.68 $2.68

-2.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.52 €3.08

$3.41 $3.41

3.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.4 €67.0

$29.98 $29.98

154.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 €3.32

$3.07 $3.07

23.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 €2.14

$1.49 $1.49

63.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.55 €24.13

$20.38 $20.38

35.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.29 €2.01

$0.84 $0.84

172.62%

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

$40.1K €35.1K

$29.1K $29.1K

37.79%

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

$39.7K €34.8K

$25.4K $25.4K

56.22%

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

$296 €259

$208 $208

42.49%

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

$26.37 €23.10

$64.1 $64.1

-58.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.39 €41.52

$73.3 $73.3

-35.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.36 €41.49

$43.74 $43.74

8.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.45 €20.55

Cinema Ticket

$16.08 €14.09

$11.93 $11.93

34.79%

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

$2,700 €2,365

$754 $754

258.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,737

$14.3K $14.3K

-22.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$116 €101

$60.4 $60.4

91.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.8 €55.0

$43.03 $43.03

45.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 €93.4

$92.0 $92.0

15.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 €113

$139 $139

-7.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,902 €1,666

$1,932 $1,932

-1.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,533 €1,343

$1,278 $1,278

20.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,846 €2,493

$1,932 $1,932

47.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,302 €2,017

$1,953 $1,953

17.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,266 €6,366

$2,836 $2,836

156.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,014 €4,393

$2,847 $2,847

76.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,293 €3,761

$4,302 $4,302

-0.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.39

6.49

-32.36%

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

Last update for Utrecht: July 21, 2026

Last update for North Charleston, SC: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,902 in Utrecht versus $1,932 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 0% higher in North Charleston, SC, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Utrecht versus $86.0 in North Charleston, SC. Groceries tell a different story – $358 in Utrecht vs $413 in North Charleston, SC – 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

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

Utrecht costs about 9% 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 $4,399 per month in Utrecht and $4,026 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. 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 $87.0 in Utrecht and $86.0 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 $2,933 in Utrecht and $2,684 in North Charleston, SC. 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 $2,684 versus $2,933 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.