on $100k a year, leaving Miami

change
Charleston, SC cityscape

instead of miami

Charleston

sc · metro 849k

photo: Connor Scott McManus / pexels

a dispatch from

charleston

SC

32.78°N

79.94°W

Charleston is pastel rowhouses, cobblestone streets, the smell of pluff mud at low tide, and shrimp and grits that should be illegal everywhere else. The historic district is a working postcard, the food scene punches way above its size, and the porches are made for sitting. Spoleto Festival every spring brings world-class arts. It's small, dense, and absurdly photogenic.

metro849k

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$137

below Miami's monthly cost

On paper, Charleston and Miami are twins. In practice they live very differently.
landable, recorded on the charleston entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,987/mo

25% cheaper than Miami(vs $2,665/mo)

02state income tax

6.5%

$542/mo more in state tax than Miami

vs 0% in Miami

03after rent

$5,805/mo

$137 more than Miami

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$432k

24% cheaper than Miami

vs $565k in Miami

05metro size

849k

vs 6.2M in Miami

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

212

pleasant days a year, in charleston.

Miami actually gets more: 272 pleasant days a year.

Miami hosts 24.0× more events.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

67/100

13% lower than Miami

vs 77/100 in Miami

Closest outdoor draw: Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge.Wilderness Area, 19.4 mi.

·walk score®

92/100

5% lower than Miami

vs 97/100 in Miami

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

20

88% fewer than Miami

vs 167 nonstops in Miami

04 · see also

in the same ballpark as charleston:

see also

reno

$620/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

asheville

$415/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

greenville

$436/mo cheaper

turn the page

compare charleston with:

RenoAshevilleGreenville