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 | Madison | North Charleston | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,291/mo | $1,288/mo | 0.2% higher in A |
| Median home value | $326,600 | $243,300 | 34.2% higher in A |
| Median household income | $74,895 | $58,534 | 28.0% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 103.9 | 101.1 | 2.8% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 90.5 | 98.6 | 8.2% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 94.9 | 86.4 | 9.8% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 96.3 | 102.1 | 5.7% 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 Madison, you'd need $98,910 in North Charleston to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
North Charleston, SC is about 1.1% cheaper overall than Madison, WI, based on our cost-of-living index. If you earn $80,000 in Madison, you'd need about $79,128 in North Charleston to keep the same standard of living.