Fort Lauderdale, FL vs Charleston, SC: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Charleston, SC has a modeled overall cost index 13.5% lower than Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Fort Lauderdale, FL · modeled 2BR rent: $2,330 / month
Charleston, SC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,995 / 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 Fort Lauderdale, FL and Charleston, SC 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 Fort Lauderdale, FL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,197/month in Charleston, SC

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $135,641 in Charleston, SC

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

Overall Cost

↓ 13.5%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,197

Savings

Annual Impact

$14.4K

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.

Fort Lauderdale, FL

Population:184K

Cost Index:

112.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$530K

Charleston, SC

Population:155K

Cost Index:

96.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$490K

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Fort Lauderdale, FL

The Sunshine State

184K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Florida, this city has a population of 184K residents.

💡 Advantage: Florida has no state income tax!

Charleston, SC

The Palmetto State

155K

Population

State Tax

Yes

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

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Fort Lauderdale, FL vs Charleston, SC

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	Fort Lauderdale, FL	Charleston, SC	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,762/mo	$1,976/mo	↓ $785less	28.4%
Other	$1,637/mo	$1,438/mo	↓ $199less	12.1%
Transportation	$1,243/mo	$1,076/mo	↓ $167less	13.4%
Groceries	$917/mo	$837/mo	↓ $80.83less	8.8%
Healthcare	$500/mo	$524/mo	↑ $23.76more	4.7%
All Utilities	$441/mo	$453/mo	↑ $11.43more	2.6%

Housing

↓ 28.4%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$2,762

Charleston, SC

$1,976

Difference

$785

less

Other

↓ 12.1%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$1,637

Charleston, SC

$1,438

Difference

$199

less

Transportation

↓ 13.4%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$1,243

Charleston, SC

$1,076

Difference

$167

less

Groceries

↓ 8.8%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$917

Charleston, SC

$837

Difference

$80.83

less

Healthcare

↑ 4.7%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$500

Charleston, SC

$524

Difference

$23.76

All Utilities

↑ 2.6%

Fort Lauderdale, FL

$441

Charleston, SC

$453

Difference

$11.43

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,730

To$1,740

↑ $10.00

1 Bed

From$1,900

To$1,820

↓ $80.00

2 Bed

From$2,330

To$1,995

↓ $335

3 Bed

From$3,210

To$2,480

↓ $730

Fort Lauderdale, FLZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,490–$2,850/mo

Charleston, SCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,400–$2,120/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 Fort Lauderdale, FL

$6,303

Monthly in Charleston, SC

$1,197

Difference

Home Values

Fort Lauderdale

Charleston

$530K

Median Value

$490K

↓ -4.7%

YoY Change

↓ -0.3%

↑ +38.6%

5-Year Change

↑ +55.7%

$358K - $851K

Price Range

$295K - $1.47M

Homes in Charleston are 7% less expensive than Fort Lauderdale

Calculate payment - Fort Lauderdale Calculate payment - Charleston

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $10.0K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$830

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

6.6%

Rate difference

Fort Lauderdale, 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

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

Additional Tax Information

Fort Lauderdale, FL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%

Property Tax:0.8%

Charleston, SC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.4%

Property Tax:0.6%

💡 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

Fort Lauderdale

Charleston

48 Good

Air Quality

46 Good

59.8%

Good Air Days

63.7%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

89 Moderate

🌊🌅🌀

Top Hazards

🌀🌪

▲+2.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

22 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

▲+2.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

22 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

Before moving from Fort Lauderdale, FL to Charleston, SC

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Charleston, SC for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Fort Lauderdale, FL. 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 Fort Lauderdale to Charleston moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Fort Lauderdale, FL vs Charleston, SC

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

Charleston, SC has a modeled overall cost index 13.5% lower than Fort Lauderdale, FL. 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 Fort Lauderdale, FL, the model estimates $135,641 in Charleston, SC. 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 Fort Lauderdale, FL and Charleston, SC?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,330/month in Fort Lauderdale, FL and $1,995/month in Charleston, SC. 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 Florida and South Carolina on TaxTakeHome.com