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 | Charleston | Phoenix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,517/mo | $1,322/mo | 14.8% higher in A |
| Median home value | $438,900 | $340,200 | 29.0% higher in A |
| Median household income | $83,891 | $72,092 | 16.4% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 103.8 | 103.1 | 0.7% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 102.1 | 123.5 | 17.3% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 91.0 | 102.5 | 11.2% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 109.4 | 101.2 | 8.1% higher 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 Charleston, you'd need $97,198 in Phoenix to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Phoenix, AZ is about 2.8% cheaper overall than Charleston, SC, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 13% lower in Phoenix than in Charleston. If you earn $80,000 in Charleston, you'd need about $77,758 in Phoenix to keep the same standard of living.