CostIndexUSA

Charleston, SC vs Fort Collins, CO Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostSC
Charleston
101
overall index
$1,950/mo rent
CO
Fort Collins
101.1
overall index
$1,875/mo rent

Charleston and Fort Collins have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+0.7%
Charleston
119.8
Fort Collins
120.6
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Charleston
96.3
Fort Collins
96.1
🚗 Transportation+1.6%
Charleston
103.2
Fort Collins
104.8
🏥 Healthcare+1.5%
Charleston
93.4
Fort Collins
94.8
Utilities6.8%
Charleston
88.2
Fort Collins
82.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Charleston to see what you'd need to earn in Fort Collins to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Fort Collins, CO
$80,100
$100 more needed in Fort Collins

Formula: salary × (101.1 ÷ 101) = salary × 1.0010. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Charleston, SC

Median Home Price
$425,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,950
Housing Index
119.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.2×

Fort Collins, CO

Median Home Price
$540,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,875
Housing Index
120.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
24.0×

Fort Collins has 0.7% higher housing costs compared to Charleston.

Income & Job Market

Charleston, SC

Median Household Income
$85,200
Per Capita Income
$48,600
Unemployment Rate
3.4%
Population
150,227
Top Industries
MilitaryTourismHealthcareTechnologyManufacturing

Fort Collins, CO

Median Household Income
$88,200
Per Capita Income
$50,300
Unemployment Rate
4.5%
Population
164,672
Top Industries
TechnologyEducationHealthcareAgricultureManufacturing

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Charleston, SC
3.6×income-to-rent ratio

73% of income left after rent (median)

Fort Collins, CO
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

74% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.