Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Charleston, SC
VS
San Diego, CA
🏆 Charleston leads 15 of 23 categories
Charleston
South Carolina
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$83,891
Violent Crime Index
94 ✓ Safer
Population
149,960
San Diego
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$98,657 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
108⚠ High
Population
1,383,987 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Charleston, SC
Pros
Homes cost $344k less ($438,900 vs $783,300)
Rent averages $563/mo less ($1,517 vs $2,080)
13% less violent crime than San Diego
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.4 pts lower (3.7%)
More college-educated — 57.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
9% cheaper overall cost of living than San Diego
Cons
Median income trails San Diego by $14,766/yr
San Diego, CA
Pros
Households earn $14,766 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 58°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 80°F vs 88°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $783,300
Higher rents — median is $2,080/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Higher unemployment (6.1% vs 3.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Charleston
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 102.4 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Charleston
Violent Crime
13% lower
357.6 vs 412.2 per 100k
Charleston
Median Home Value
$344k less
$438,900 vs $783,300
Charleston
Unemployment
2.4 pp lower
3.7% vs 6.1% unemployment
Charleston
Summer Heat
7.7°F warmer
July avg high 87.5°F vs 79.8°F
San Diego
Median Income
$14,766
$98,657 vs $83,891/yr
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Charleston, SC | San Diego, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.4⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 111.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $438,900⚠ High ✓ Lower | $783,300⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,517⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,080⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $83,891 | $98,657 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.7% ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter | 24.0 min |
| Work From Home % | 14.6% | 16.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 95 ✓ Safer | 97 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 94 ✓ Safer | 108⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 | 80 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (103) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 57.4% ✓ Higher | 48.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.7% ✓ Higher | 89.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Charleston 01 | San Diego Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.0°F | 67.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.5°F ✓ Warmer | 79.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.2" | 11.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.3" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 149,960 | 1,383,987 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.3 ✓ Older | 35.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% ✓ Higher | 47.6% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 19.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 13.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Charleston's cost of living index is 102.4 vs San Diego's 111.5 (US average = 100).
Charleston is 9% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Charleston leads 15 of 23 categories. Charleston wins 15 and San Diego wins 8. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Charleston to San Diego or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($438,900 vs $783,300 median home), income ($83,891 vs $98,657), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Charleston, SC and San Diego, CA are about 2,146 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.