CostIndexUSA

Charleston, SC vs Salt Lake City, UT Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostSC
Charleston
101
overall index
$1,950/mo rent
UT
Salt Lake City
100.9
overall index
$1,575/mo rent

Charleston and Salt Lake City have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+2.9%
Charleston
119.8
Salt Lake City
123.3
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Charleston
96.3
Salt Lake City
96.4
🚗 Transportation+0.7%
Charleston
103.2
Salt Lake City
103.9
🏥 Healthcare+0.6%
Charleston
93.4
Salt Lake City
94
Utilities10.4%
Charleston
88.2
Salt Lake City
79

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Salt Lake City, UT
$79,900
$100 less needed in Salt Lake City

Formula: salary × (100.9 ÷ 101) = salary × 0.9990. 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×

Salt Lake City, UT

Median Home Price
$554,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,575
Housing Index
123.3
Price-to-Rent Ratio
29.3×

Salt Lake City has 2.9% 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

Salt Lake City, UT

Median Household Income
$94,400
Per Capita Income
$53,800
Unemployment Rate
3.4%
Population
200,567
Top Industries
TechnologyHealthcareFinanceTourismGovernment

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)

Salt Lake City, UT
5.0×income-to-rent ratio

80% 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.