Charleston, SC vs Suffolk, VA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Suffolk, VA has a modeled overall cost index 2.3% higher than Charleston, SC.

Charleston, SC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,995 / month
Suffolk, VA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,000 / 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 Suffolk, VA 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: $16.89/month in Suffolk, VA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $150,203 in Suffolk, VA

Regional cost estimates: Charleston, SC uses Fayetteville, NC. Suffolk, VA uses Chesapeake, VA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 2.3%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$16.89

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$203

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

Suffolk, VA

Population:101K

Cost Index:

99.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$439K

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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.

Suffolk, VA

The Old Dominion State

101K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Virginia, this city has a population of 101K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Charleston, SC vs Suffolk, VA

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	Suffolk, VA	Difference	Change
All Utilities	$539/mo	$575/mo	↑ $35.93more	6.7%
Groceries	$995/mo	$961/mo	↓ $34.73less	3.5%
Housing	$2,352/mo	$2,366/mo	↑ $14.00more	0.6%
Healthcare	$624/mo	$633/mo	↑ $9.27more	1.5%
Transportation	$1,280/mo	$1,273/mo	↓ $6.47less	0.5%
Other	$1,711/mo	$1,710/mo	↓ $1.10less	0.1%

All Utilities

↑ 6.7%

Charleston, SC

$539

Suffolk, VA

$575

Difference

$35.93

Groceries

↓ 3.5%

Charleston, SC

$995

Suffolk, VA

$961

Difference

$34.73

less

Housing

↑ 0.6%

Charleston, SC

$2,352

Suffolk, VA

$2,366

Difference

$14.00

Healthcare

↑ 1.5%

Charleston, SC

$624

Suffolk, VA

$633

Difference

$9.27

Transportation

↓ 0.5%

Charleston, SC

$1,280

Suffolk, VA

$1,273

Difference

$6.47

less

Other

↓ 0.1%

Charleston, SC

$1,711

Suffolk, VA

$1,710

Difference

$1.10

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,740

To$1,740

→ $0

1 Bed

From$1,820

To$1,750

↓ $70.00

2 Bed

From$1,995

To$2,000

↑ $5.00

3 Bed

From$2,480

To$2,790

↑ $310

Charleston, SCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,400–$2,120/mo

Suffolk, VAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,090–$1,920/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

$7,517

Monthly in Suffolk, VA

$16.89

Difference

Home Values

Charleston

Suffolk

$490K

Median Value

$439K

↓ -0.3%

YoY Change

↑ +1.3%

↑ +55.7%

5-Year Change

↑ +34%

$295K - $1.47M

Price Range

$328K - $531K

Homes in Suffolk are 11% less expensive than Charleston

Calculate payment - Charleston Calculate payment - Suffolk

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $1.6K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$132

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.1%

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

Suffolk, VA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Virginia State Tax

Effective: 5.6%

$8.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.3%

$45.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,718/month

$104.6K

Additional Tax Information

Charleston, SC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.4%

Property Tax:0.6%

Suffolk, VA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.7%

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

Suffolk

46 Good

Air Quality

36 Good

63.7%

Good Air Days

80.3%

89 Moderate

Climate Risk

81 Low

🌀🌪

Top Hazards

None

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

21 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

21 days

Before moving from Charleston, SC to Suffolk, VA

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Suffolk, VA 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 Suffolk moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Charleston, SC vs Suffolk, VA

How do the cost estimates for Charleston, SC and Suffolk, VA compare?

Suffolk, VA has a modeled overall cost index 2.3% 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 $150,203 in Suffolk, VA. 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 Suffolk, VA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,995/month in Charleston, SC and $2,000/month in Suffolk, VA. 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 Virginia on TaxTakeHome.com