Head to head
Charleston, SC vs Houston, TX
Houston is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $287/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $11,000 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, Charleston 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 | Charleston73 | Houston57 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $4,333 | $4,046 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $9,492 | $9,579 |
| Salary for comfort | $81,500/yr | $70,500/yr |
| Typical rent | $1,787 | $1,573 |
| Median home value | $469,100 | $253,400 |
| Median household income | $90,038 | $62,894 |
| Unemployment | 3.4% | 5.2% |
| Housing score | 56 | 50 |
| Jobs score | 92 | 36 |
| Safety score | 64 | 4 |
| Climate score | 100 | 100 |
| Amenities score | 36 | 69 |
| Population | 152K | 2.3M |
| Summer high / winter low | 88° / 43° | 92° / 45° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Charleston, SC
Houston, TX