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 | $870/mo | $1,322/mo | 34.2% lower in A |
| Median home value | $172,800 | $340,200 | 49.2% lower in A |
| Median household income | $58,902 | $72,092 | 18.3% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 97.0 | 97.7 | 0.8% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 92.6 | 102.9 | 9.9% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 100.0 | 104.2 | 4.0% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 98.3 | 104.0 | 5.5% 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 Charleston, you'd need $134,562 in Phoenix to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Charleston, WV is about 25.7% cheaper overall than Phoenix, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 51% lower in Charleston than in Phoenix. If you earn $80,000 in Charleston, you'd need about $107,650 in Phoenix to keep the same standard of living.