CostIndexUSA

Charleston, SC vs Jacksonville, FL Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

SC
Charleston
101
overall index
$1,950/mo rent
More AffordableFL
Jacksonville
99.5
overall index
$1,650/mo rent

Jacksonville is slightly cheaper than Charleston — 1.5% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Charleston, you would need $78,800 in Jacksonville. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing8.3%
Charleston
119.8
Jacksonville
109.8
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Charleston
96.3
Jacksonville
96.2
🚗 Transportation+0.6%
Charleston
103.2
Jacksonville
103.8
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Charleston
93.4
Jacksonville
93.9
Utilities0.8%
Charleston
88.2
Jacksonville
87.5

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Jacksonville, FL
$78,800
$1,200 less needed in Jacksonville

Formula: salary × (99.5 ÷ 101) = salary × 0.9851. 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×

Jacksonville, FL

Median Home Price
$344,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,650
Housing Index
109.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.4×

Charleston has 8.3% lower housing costs compared to Jacksonville.

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

Jacksonville, FL

Median Household Income
$77,000
Per Capita Income
$43,900
Unemployment Rate
3.8%
Population
949,611
Top Industries
MilitaryLogisticsHealthcareFinanceManufacturing

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)

Jacksonville, FL
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.