Head to head
Atlanta, GA vs Charleston, SC
Charleston is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $54/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $1,500 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, Atlanta is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and childcare varies even more sharply between cities than rent does.
| Metric | Atlanta66 | Charleston73 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $4,387 | $4,333 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $9,218 | $9,492 |
| Salary for comfort | $83,000/yr | $81,500/yr |
| Typical rent | $1,820 | $1,787 |
| Median home value | $420,600 | $469,100 |
| Median household income | $81,938 | $90,038 |
| Unemployment | 3.7% | 3.4% |
| Housing score | 47 | 56 |
| Jobs score | 86 | 92 |
| Safety score | 26 | 64 |
| Climate score | 100 | 100 |
| Amenities score | 68 | 36 |
| Population | 499.3K | 152K |
| Summer high / winter low | 90° / 33° | 88° / 43° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Atlanta, GA
Charleston, SC