City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Bakersfield | North Charleston | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,283/mo | $1,288/mo | 0.4% lower in A |
| Median home value | $320,600 | $243,300 | 31.8% higher in A |
| Median household income | $73,827 | $58,534 | 26.1% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 102.7 | 101.1 | 1.6% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 122.9 | 98.6 | 24.7% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 101.8 | 86.4 | 17.8% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 100.2 | 102.1 | 1.9% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Bakersfield, you'd need $94,750 in North Charleston to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
North Charleston, SC is about 5.3% cheaper overall than Bakersfield, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. If you earn $80,000 in Bakersfield, you'd need about $75,800 in North Charleston to keep the same standard of living.