Median rent is 1% lower in Charleston ($1,632/mo vs $1,655/mo). Buying is cheaper in Charleston, where the median home runs $469,100 versus $512,700. Households earn more in Austin ($91,461 vs $90,038 a year).
City A
Austin, TX
City B
Charleston, SC
How much would you need to earn in Charleston, SC to maintain your standard of living from Austin, TX?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each city's metro area. A rough estimate of overall purchasing power, not tax or take-home pay.
Metric
Austin
Texas
Charleston
South Carolina
👥Population
💰Median Household Income
Annual
🏠Median Gross Rent
Per month
🏡Median Home Value
📊Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
🔑1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
🔑2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
🔑3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
🌬️Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
🏛️Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
🧾State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
🎂Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rents are similar in both cities: $1,655/mo in Austin and $1,632/mo in Charleston. Median home values are within 9% of each other: $512,700 in Austin and $469,100 in Charleston.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
Texas has no state income tax, while South Carolina tops out at 6.40% — giving Austin a clear advantage for high earners. Sales tax is 6.25% in Texas and 6.00% in South Carolina; Charleston has the lower rate (local add-ons may apply in both).
Austin
Income tax: None
Sales tax: 6.25%
Charleston
Income tax: 6.40%
Sales tax: 6.00%
Charleston has cleaner air on average: 28.0 AQI (Good) compared to 47.0 AQI (Good) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Charleston if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 28.0).
Pick Austin if you prioritize no state income tax.
Is Austin cheaper than Charleston?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Austin vs Charleston?
Median rent is $1,655/mo in Austin, TX and $1,632/mo in Charleston, SC. Charleston, SC has the lower rent by about 1%.
Which has higher salaries — Austin or Charleston?
Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $90,038 in Charleston, SC. Austin, TX has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Charleston, SC has better air quality on average: 28.0 AQI versus 47.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Austin or Charleston?
Texas has no state income tax. South Carolina has a top rate of 6.40%.
What salary do I need in Charleston to match my Austin income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2024 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology