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 | North Charleston | San Diego | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,288/mo | $2,080/mo | 38.1% lower in A |
| Median home value | $243,300 | $783,300 | 68.9% lower in A |
| Median household income | $58,534 | $98,657 | 40.7% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 101.1 | 110.2 | 8.3% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 98.6 | 135.0 | 27.0% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 86.4 | 117.2 | 26.2% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 102.1 | 121.0 | 15.6% 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 North Charleston, you'd need $140,657 in San Diego to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
North Charleston, SC is about 28.9% cheaper overall than San Diego, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 38% lower in North Charleston than in San Diego. If you earn $80,000 in North Charleston, you'd need about $112,526 in San Diego to keep the same standard of living.