Charleston vs Myrtle Beach
Compare Charleston, SC and Myrtle Beach, SC on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Myrtle Beach is the cheaper metro on paper: ACS median rent runs $1,138/mo versus $1,402/mo in Charleston — a gap of about $264/mo — and HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents show $1,361/mo against $1,599/mo. Across the four public-data screens (cost/climate, work, daily life, community) the metros land close together (241 vs 233 summed points), so the right pick depends on which tradeoffs you can live with.
Their climates screen similarly — summer highs near 90°F and 90°F respectively. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Myrtle Beach; if walkable daily life matters more, Myrtle Beach screens stronger on the walkability proxy (14 vs 7). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Myrtle Beach leads 68 to 62 on the cost and climate screen.
Myrtle Beach leads 74 to 71 on the work screen.
Both cities are close on the daily life screen.
Charleston leads 50 to 34 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Charleston is roughly $99,167 in Myrtle Beach using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Charleston | Myrtle Beach | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $1,402/mo | $1,138/mo | Myrtle Beach |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $1,599/mo | $1,361/mo | Myrtle Beach |
| Median home value | $317,000 | $248,000 | Myrtle Beach |
| State income tax | 6% | 6% | Tie |
| Average commute | 29.4 min | 25.3 min | Myrtle Beach |
| Safety score | 35/100 | 39/100 | Myrtle Beach |
| School score | 6/10 | 3/10 | Charleston |
| Walkability estimate | 7/100 | 14/100 | Myrtle Beach |
| Outdoor score | 7/10 | 7/10 | Tie |
| Restaurants per 100k | 214.0 | 221.6 | Myrtle Beach |
| Mountain distance | 217 mi | 204 mi | Myrtle Beach |
| Coast distance | 2 mi | 14 mi | Charleston |
What stands out
Charleston stronger signals
- Strong food and nightlife amenities score
- Trail access within 13 miles
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
- Named beach within 8 miles
Charleston tradeoffs
- Higher natural disaster risk
- Lower safety score than stronger alternatives
Myrtle Beach stronger signals
- Strong food and nightlife amenities score
- Trail access within 48 miles
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
- Named beach within 1 miles
Myrtle Beach tradeoffs
- Higher natural disaster risk
- Lower safety score than stronger alternatives
Common questions
Is Charleston cheaper than Myrtle Beach?
On public benchmarks Myrtle Beach is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $1,402/mo in Charleston vs $1,138/mo in Myrtle Beach; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $1,599/mo vs $1,361/mo; state income tax is 6% vs 6%.
Is Charleston or Myrtle Beach safer?
Myrtle Beach screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 35/100 for Charleston and 39/100 for Myrtle Beach (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Charleston or Myrtle Beach?
School screens show 6/10 for Charleston vs 3/10 for Myrtle Beach, alongside the safety scores above. It is a metro-level screen; verify specific school districts before weighting it heavily.
How different is the climate between Charleston and Myrtle Beach?
Charleston: summer highs near 90°F, winter lows near 38°F, disaster-risk band 3/3. Myrtle Beach: 90°F / 38°F, disaster-risk band 3/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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