Kitchen backsplash cost in Charleston, SC
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (30 sq ft)
- $260 – $1,350
- Per sq ft
- $8.75 – $44.50
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −11%
- US $900
- Rank of 300 metros
- #263
- 1 = most expensive
A kitchen backsplash in Charleston, SC usually costs $260 to $1,350 for 30 sq ft. That works out to about $8.75 to $44.50 per sq ft before permits. Compared with the national midpoint that is $100 less. Tile and stone setters earn a median of $20.92 an hour in the Charleston area, 22% below the US median of $26.77.
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Estimated cost for 30 sq ft in Charleston, SC, standard level
$590 to $1,000
About $19.50 to $34 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 37% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $360 | $650 |
| Labor | $220 | $370 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $590 | $1,000 |
Cost breakdown for 30 sq ft in Charleston, SC
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $140 | $510 | $870 | 63% |
| Labor | $120 | $290 | $470 | 37% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $260 | $800 | $1,350 | 100% |
What is behind the Charleston number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: tile and stone setters at 90%, carpenters at 10%. Weighted together, Charleston wages are 0.79 times the national level. Labor makes up about 37% of the midpoint estimate (42% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the South Carolina statewide median.
Materials are scaled with BEA's regional price parity for goods. Charleston is at 96.3 against 100 for the US, so a materials line of $530 nationally becomes $510 here (midpoint, 30 sq ft). Permits follow the all-items index of 101.0: $0 to $0.
Data note: 90% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Charleston. The wage table below marks each row.
Pick a size, pick a tier: kitchen backsplash pricing in Charleston
The cited range is split into basic, standard and premium bands, then scaled to Charleston. Bands overlap, because plenty of standard jobs cost as much as a light premium one. Sizes run from small kitchen (25 sq ft) to full-height (50 sq ft).
Basic
$260 to $690
Basic ceramic subway tile
Standard
$590 to $1,000
Mid-grade tile in a pattern
Premium
$910 to $1,350
Slab or natural stone
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small kitchen (25 sq ft) | $220 – $580 | $490 – $850 | $760 – $1,100 |
| average kitchen (30 sq ft) | $260 – $690 | $590 – $1,000 | $910 – $1,350 |
| full-height (50 sq ft) | $440 – $1,150 | $980 – $1,700 | $1,500 – $2,250 |
Planning more than one job in Charleston?
Jobs that often go together with kitchen backsplash are priced below at their usual sizes, using the same Charleston wage and price inputs. Compared with national midpoints, kitchen remodel comes out highest (−6%) and tile flooring lowest (−10%); the gap comes from the trades each job uses.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $17,400 – $29,700 | −6% |
| Kitchen cabinets | 25 linear ft | $3,950 – $12,700 | −9% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $2,000 – $9,150 | −10% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,250 – $21,000 | −10% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $810 – $2,550 | −10% |
Charleston against nearby metros and the rest of South Carolina
Same job, same size (30 sq ft), priced for the nearest metros. Savannah is the priciest of the group at $820. Myrtle Beach is the cheapest at $800.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, SCthis page | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | |
| Hilton Head, SC65 miles | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | level |
| Florence, SC80 miles | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | level |
| Myrtle Beach, SC85 miles | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | level |
| Columbia, SC95 miles | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | level |
| Savannah, GA95 miles | $270 – $1,350 | $820 | +3% |
| South Carolina (statewide) | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | level |
| United States | $300 – $1,500 | $900 | +12% |
Out of the 300 metros we cover, Charleston ranks #263 for the cost of this job (#1 is the most expensive). Statewide, Charleston is 0% below the South Carolina figure.
Elsewhere in South Carolina
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville, SC | 434,900 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | level |
| Columbia, SC | 394,200 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | level |
| Spartanburg, SC | 165,150 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | level |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | 146,260 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | level |
| Florence, SC | 89,060 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | level |
| Hilton Head, SC | 81,920 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | level |
Metros of a similar size
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Charleston against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, SC | 394,200 jobs | $260 – $1,350 | $800 | level |
| Boise, ID | 391,790 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | +5% |
| Des Moines, IA | 404,130 jobs | $290 – $1,450 | $860 | +7% |
| Tucson, AZ | 389,630 jobs | $280 – $1,400 | $840 | +5% |
What local crews earn in Charleston
The labor line is built from BLS wage data, one trade at a time. This job draws on 2 trades. We compare each trade's local median with the US median, weight the ratios by how much of the job each trade does, and apply the blend to the national labor cost. For Charleston the blend is 0.79.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 90% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Charleston metro, so we used the South Carolina statewide median: $20.92 an hour against $26.77 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $18.68 and $26.47 an hour.
Carpenters (47-2031), 10% of the weighting: a median of $24.22 an hour, 17% below the US median of $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $21.37 and $29.52 an hour. About 1,240 work in the metro. That is 31.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 43.1 nationally, so expect fewer local crews to bid.
A quick sensitivity check: moving the lead trade (tile and stone setters) from the median to the 75th percentile wage adds about $70 to the midpoint estimate; the 25th percentile takes off about $30. That is a swing of roughly 3.5% to 8.7% of the total, which is useful for judging whether a bid reflects wages or something else, such as scope or margin.
Charleston-North Charleston has 394,170 jobs in total (BLS, May 2025), ranking 66th by size among the 300 metros on this site.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 90% | $18.68 | $20.92 | $26.47 | $26.77 | 0.78 | state |
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 10% | $21.37 | $24.22 | $29.52 | $29.12 | 0.83 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.79 | |||||
Kitchen backsplash: what moves the price in Charleston
Part of a remodel
A backsplash often gets bundled into a kitchen remodel and priced with it.
Material
A tile backsplash is $10-$50 per sq ft installed. A stone slab backsplash is $35-$200 and granite slabs are $50-$200.
Labor and minimums
Tile labor is $8-$20 per sq ft and many installers charge minimums for small areas.
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Detailed kitchen backsplash report for Charleston, SC, $9
The report lays out the kitchen backsplash numbers for Charleston, SC line by line, with the local wage and price inputs, permit and timing notes, a quote comparison sheet and the full method. Save your estimate above, preview page 1 free, and unlock the full report for $9 one-time, or get every report with CostLocal Pro.
Kitchen backsplash in Charleston: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a backsplash in Charleston?
For 30 sq ft, expect $260 to $1,350 in the Charleston area. A standard-spec job lands at $590 to $1,000. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for kitchen backsplash in Charleston?
About $8.75 to $44.50 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $10 to $50.
+Is kitchen backsplash cheaper in Charleston or Hilton Head?
Hilton Head is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 30 sq ft there is $800, which is 0% less than Charleston ($800). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Charleston?
About 37% at the midpoint, or $290 out of $800. Materials are 63% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would average kitchen (30 sq ft) cost in Charleston?
$260 to $1,350. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does kitchen backsplash need a permit in Charleston?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $0 for fees in the Charleston area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Charleston expensive for kitchen backsplash compared with the rest of South Carolina?
Charleston is 0% below the South Carolina statewide estimate ($800 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in South Carolina; see the state page to compare them.
+What do tile and stone setters earn in Charleston?
BLS has no published metro figure here, so we use the statewide median of $20.92 an hour, compared with $26.77 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $18.68 to $26.47.
+What do basic and premium kitchen backsplash work cost in Charleston?
For 30 sq ft, basic work runs $260 to $690 and premium work $910 to $1,350. Basic means: basic ceramic subway tile. Premium means: slab or natural stone.
Kitchen backsplash near Charleston
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.
- HomeGuide: 2026 Backsplash Installation Cost (accessed November 4, 2026)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
- BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
Note on derived figures: Materials = installed price minus HomeGuide's $5-$20 per sq ft labor figure, matched low-to-low and high-to-high.