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Chicago · Registered nurse · $98,500 · One adult, renting a 1-bedroom
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Charleston skyline
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Charlotte skyline
Mrtoebiter1971 at English Wikipedia. Public domain. Photo source · License

Charleston vs Charlotte

$293/mo more in Charlotte

Alabama: $2,168 left in a typical monthArizona: $2,126 left in a typical monthArkansas: $2,400 left in a typical monthCalifornia: $1,645 left in a typical monthColorado: $2,458 left in a typical monthConnecticut: $2,294 left in a typical monthDelaware: $1,980 left in a typical monthDistrict of Columbia: $2,913 left in a typical monthFlorida: $2,204 left in a typical monthGeorgia: $1,988 left in a typical monthIdaho: $2,056 left in a typical monthIllinois: $2,569 left in a typical monthIndiana: $2,407 left in a typical monthIowa: $2,838 left in a typical monthKansas: $2,391 left in a typical monthKentucky: $2,312 left in a typical monthLouisiana: $2,486 left in a typical monthMaine: $1,949 left in a typical monthMaryland: $2,359 left in a typical monthMassachusetts: $2,076 left in a typical monthMichigan: $2,360 left in a typical monthMinnesota: $2,600 left in a typical monthMississippi: $2,011 left in a typical monthMissouri: $2,581 left in a typical monthMontana: $2,222 left in a typical monthNebraska: $2,541 left in a typical monthNevada: $2,296 left in a typical monthNew Hampshire: $2,794 left in a typical monthNew Jersey: $1,864 left in a typical monthNew Mexico: $2,037 left in a typical monthNew York: $2,320 left in a typical monthNorth Carolina: $2,194 left in a typical monthNorth Dakota: $3,238 left in a typical monthOhio: $2,583 left in a typical monthOklahoma: $2,455 left in a typical monthOregon: $1,624 left in a typical monthPennsylvania: $2,380 left in a typical monthRhode Island: $2,094 left in a typical monthSouth Carolina: $2,108 left in a typical monthSouth Dakota: $2,780 left in a typical monthTennessee: $2,530 left in a typical monthTexas: $2,620 left in a typical monthUtah: $1,822 left in a typical monthVermont: $2,118 left in a typical monthVirginia: $2,326 left in a typical monthWashington: $2,473 left in a typical monthWest Virginia: $2,277 left in a typical monthWisconsin: $2,642 left in a typical monthWyoming: $2,849 left in a typical month
Less leftMore left

CharlestonCharlotteAbout 155 miles apart, close enough to drive.

  • Charlotte leaves you more
  • Rent under 30% of pay

Same paycheck, two cities. $2,580/mo in Charlotte. $2,287/mo in Charleston. +$3,516 a year.

Charleston

$2,287

left each month

Charlotte

$2,580

+$293 vs Charleston

Compare

Same paycheck, another city.

Charlotte wins 3 of 4Charleston 1 · ties 0
$5,802Take-home · Charlotte$5,862
$1,588Rent · Charlotte$1,322
$1,927Other bills · Charleston$1,960
$2,287Left over · Charlotte$2,580

Next

In 2022-2023, 733 households moved Charleston → Charlotte (avg AGI $101,677). 865 went the other way. The whole move →

+$293 / mo

Alabama: $2,168 left in a typical monthArizona: $2,126 left in a typical monthArkansas: $2,400 left in a typical monthCalifornia: $1,645 left in a typical monthColorado: $2,458 left in a typical monthConnecticut: $2,294 left in a typical monthDelaware: $1,980 left in a typical monthDistrict of Columbia: $2,913 left in a typical monthFlorida: $2,204 left in a typical monthGeorgia: $1,988 left in a typical monthIdaho: $2,056 left in a typical monthIllinois: $2,569 left in a typical monthIndiana: $2,407 left in a typical monthIowa: $2,838 left in a typical monthKansas: $2,391 left in a typical monthKentucky: $2,312 left in a typical monthLouisiana: $2,486 left in a typical monthMaine: $1,949 left in a typical monthMaryland: $2,359 left in a typical monthMassachusetts: $2,076 left in a typical monthMichigan: $2,360 left in a typical monthMinnesota: $2,600 left in a typical monthMississippi: $2,011 left in a typical monthMissouri: $2,581 left in a typical monthMontana: $2,222 left in a typical monthNebraska: $2,541 left in a typical monthNevada: $2,296 left in a typical monthNew Hampshire: $2,794 left in a typical monthNew Jersey: $1,864 left in a typical monthNew Mexico: $2,037 left in a typical monthNew York: $2,320 left in a typical monthNorth Carolina: $2,194 left in a typical monthNorth Dakota: $3,238 left in a typical monthOhio: $2,583 left in a typical monthOklahoma: $2,455 left in a typical monthOregon: $1,624 left in a typical monthPennsylvania: $2,380 left in a typical monthRhode Island: $2,094 left in a typical monthSouth Carolina: $2,108 left in a typical monthSouth Dakota: $2,780 left in a typical monthTennessee: $2,530 left in a typical monthTexas: $2,620 left in a typical monthUtah: $1,822 left in a typical monthVermont: $2,118 left in a typical monthVirginia: $2,326 left in a typical monthWashington: $2,473 left in a typical monthWest Virginia: $2,277 left in a typical monthWisconsin: $2,642 left in a typical monthWyoming: $2,849 left in a typical monthCharlestonCharlotte
Less leftMore left
Charlotte · this breakdownCharleston · home
See full breakdown
Monthly and annual budget comparison between Charleston, SC and Charlotte, NC
Per monthCharlestonCharlotteDifference
Gross pay$7,750$7,742−$8
Income and payroll tax$1,948$1,881−$67
Take-home pay$5,802$5,862+$59
Rent$1,588$1,322−$266
Getting around$535$568+$33
Groceries$384$384$0
Healthcare$432$432$0
Utilities$240$240$0
Everything else$336$336$0
Left over$2,287$2,580+$293

Salary to match Charleston

$87,500

Gross pay in Charlotte that leaves the same amount as $93,000 in Charleston.

Tax difference

+$777

A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 25.1% in Charleston, 24.3% in Charlotte.

More about Charlotte

Charleston, SC in full

State income tax topping out at 6.2%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,890 and 222 sunny days; commutes average 27 minutes.

Charlotte, NC in full

A banking hub with a 4.25% flat tax and mild winters.

The other way

Start in Charlotte.

Charlotte → Charleston →

Questions

Is the cost of living lower in Charlotte than Charleston?

For one adult in a one-bedroom, Charlotte leaves about $293 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,588 in Charleston and $1,322 in Charlotte.

Does Charlotte have state income tax?

Charlotte is in North Carolina, which taxes wage income.

What changes if you move from Charleston to Charlotte?

The paycheck is taxed in North Carolina. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.

Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Charleston and Charlotte changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.

Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.