Charleston, SC vs Hollywood, FL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Hollywood, FL has a modeled overall cost index 15.7% higher than Charleston, SC.

Charleston, SC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,995 / month
Hollywood, FL · modeled 2BR rent: $2,540 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Charleston, SC and Hollywood, FL using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Charleston, SC

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $1,424/month in Hollywood, FL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $167,085 in Hollywood, FL

Regional cost estimates: Charleston, SC uses Fayetteville, NC. Hollywood, FL uses Hialeah, FL. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 15.7%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,424

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$17.1K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Charleston, SC

Population:155K

Cost Index:

96.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$490K

Hollywood, FL

Population:154K

Cost Index:

112.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$445K

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Charleston, SC

The Palmetto State

155K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in South Carolina, this city has a population of 155K residents.

Hollywood, FL

The Sunshine State

154K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Florida, this city has a population of 154K residents.

💡 Advantage: Florida has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Charleston, SC vs Hollywood, FL

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Charleston, SC	Hollywood, FL	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,352/mo	$3,286/mo	↑ $934more	39.7%
Other	$1,711/mo	$1,947/mo	↑ $236more	13.8%
Transportation	$1,280/mo	$1,478/mo	↑ $199more	15.5%
Groceries	$995/mo	$1,092/mo	↑ $96.17more	9.7%
Healthcare	$624/mo	$595/mo	↓ $28.27less	4.5%
All Utilities	$539/mo	$525/mo	↓ $13.60less	2.5%

Housing

↑ 39.7%

Charleston, SC

$2,352

Hollywood, FL

$3,286

Difference

$934

Other

↑ 13.8%

Charleston, SC

$1,711

Hollywood, FL

$1,947

Difference

$236

Transportation

↑ 15.5%

Charleston, SC

$1,280

Hollywood, FL

$1,478

Difference

$199

Groceries

↑ 9.7%

Charleston, SC

$995

Hollywood, FL

$1,092

Difference

$96.17

Healthcare

↓ 4.5%

Charleston, SC

$624

Hollywood, FL

$595

Difference

$28.27

less

All Utilities

↓ 2.5%

Charleston, SC

$539

Hollywood, FL

$525

Difference

$13.60

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,740

To$1,890

↑ $150

1 Bed

From$1,820

To$2,070

↑ $250

2 Bed

From$1,995

To$2,540

↑ $545

3 Bed

From$2,480

To$3,500

↑ $1,020

Charleston, SCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,400–$2,120/mo

Hollywood, FLZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,870–$2,610/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Charleston, SC

$8,924

Monthly in Hollywood, FL

$1,424

Difference

Home Values

Charleston

Hollywood

$490K

Median Value

$445K

↓ -0.3%

YoY Change

↓ -5.5%

↑ +55.7%

5-Year Change

↑ +38.3%

$295K - $1.47M

Price Range

$371K - $663K

Homes in Hollywood are 9% less expensive than Charleston

Calculate payment - Charleston Calculate payment - Hollywood

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $10.0K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$830

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

6.6%

Rate difference

Charleston, SC

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

South Carolina State Tax

Effective: 6.6%

$10.0K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.3%

$47.0K

Take-Home Pay

$8,586/month

$103.0K

Hollywood, FL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Florida State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

Charleston, SC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.4%

Property Tax:0.6%

Hollywood, FL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%

Property Tax:0.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Charleston

Hollywood

46 Good

Air Quality

48 Good

63.7%

Good Air Days

59.8%

89 Moderate

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌀🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌀

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

22 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

22 days

Before moving from Charleston, SC to Hollywood, FL

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Hollywood, FL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Charleston, SC. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Charleston to Hollywood moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Hollywood, FL by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Charleston, SC vs Hollywood, FL

How do the cost estimates for Charleston, SC and Hollywood, FL compare?

Hollywood, FL has a modeled overall cost index 15.7% higher than Charleston, SC. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Charleston, SC, the model estimates $167,085 in Hollywood, FL. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Charleston, SC and Hollywood, FL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,995/month in Charleston, SC and $2,540/month in Hollywood, FL. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between South Carolina and Florida on TaxTakeHome.com