2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Lake Forest, IL vs Charleston, SC

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Charleston or is it cheaper to live in Lake Forest?
- Charleston is 15.5% more expensive than Lake Forest.

Which city has more affordable housing, Charleston or Lake Forest?
- Charleston housing costs are 53.6% less expensive than Lake Forest housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Lake Forest or is Health Care more affordable in Charleston.
- Health related expenses are 0.2% more in Charleston.
 Lake Forest, ILCharleston, SCUnited States
 Overall  Unlock112.0100
 Food & Groceries108.2  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock96.5100
 Housing285.4  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$493,200$338,100
 Utilities94  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock94.1100
 Miscellaneous141.0  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Lake Forest    4 Reviews

We relocated cross county to Lake Forest about a year ago due to a job change. We looked at nearby communities, within proximity of the work commute (the office is in  More

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Be prepared for a so called upscale town with entitled, overpaid, snooty people from teenagers who sneer at you to adults who look you up and down, who make demands on a  More

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Over 15 years ago

Long cold winters, short cold springs, hot humid summers, nice  More

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Reviews for Charleston    76 Reviews

Over 2 years ago

Charleston is beautiful and unique and incredibly special. If you don't believe me, just ask Anthony Bourdain in his Parts Unknown episode - and he was an insightful  More

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Serious lack of health care and "good old boys club" whereby doctors will not even see the patient but diagnose them based on referring doctor. My sister died there for  More

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Over 5 years ago

Boy, has this once beautiful town changed...for the worse! I initially moved here 20 years ago because the people were so nice, no traffic, great choice of hospitals,  More

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