Tile flooring cost in Charleston, SC
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (200 sq ft)
- $2,000 – $9,150
- Per sq ft
- $9.95 – $46
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −10%
- US $6,200
- Rank of 300 metros
- #250
- 1 = most expensive
Charleston homeowners pay roughly $2,000 to $9,150 to install a tile floor at 200 sq ft, or $9.95 to $46 per sq ft (permit not included). Against the US midpoint, Charleston is 10% lower. 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 200 sq ft in Charleston, SC, standard level
$4,150 to $7,000
About $20.50 to $35 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 36% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,300 | $4,850 |
| Labor | $1,850 | $2,150 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $4,150 | $7,000 |
Cost breakdown for 200 sq ft in Charleston, SC
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $390 | $3,550 | $6,750 | 64% |
| Labor | $1,600 | $2,000 | $2,400 | 36% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $2,000 | $5,550 | $9,150 | 100% |
What is behind the Charleston number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: tile and stone setters at 85%, construction laborers at 15%. Weighted together, Charleston wages are 0.80 times the national level. Labor makes up about 36% of the midpoint estimate (40% at national prices). BLS does not publish this trade for the metro, so we used the South Carolina statewide median.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Charleston metro is 96.3 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 200 sq ft comes to $3,550, compared with $3,700 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (101.0) and land at $0 to $0.
Data note: 85% 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.
How Charleston compares
Contractors rarely work more than an hour or two from home, so the neighboring metros set a rough ceiling and floor for your quotes. Midpoints for 200 sq ft range from $5,550 to $5,700 across Charleston and its five closest metros.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston, SCthis page | $2,000 – $9,150 | $5,550 | |
| Hilton Head, SC65 miles | $2,000 – $9,150 | $5,600 | level |
| Florence, SC80 miles | $2,000 – $9,150 | $5,600 | level |
| Myrtle Beach, SC85 miles | $1,950 – $9,100 | $5,550 | −1% |
| Columbia, SC95 miles | $2,000 – $9,150 | $5,550 | level |
| Savannah, GA95 miles | $2,100 – $9,300 | $5,700 | +2% |
| South Carolina (statewide) | $2,000 – $9,150 | $5,550 | level |
| United States | $2,400 – $10,000 | $6,200 | +11% |
Across 300 US metros, Charleston comes in at #250 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $8,050; the cheapest is Little Rock, AR at $5,150 (midpoints, 200 sq ft). Statewide, Charleston is 0% above the South Carolina figure.
Other South Carolina metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville, SC | 434,900 jobs | $2,000 – $9,150 | $5,600 | level |
| Columbia, SC | 394,200 jobs | $2,000 – $9,150 | $5,550 | level |
| Spartanburg, SC | 165,150 jobs | $2,000 – $9,150 | $5,550 | level |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | 146,260 jobs | $1,950 – $9,100 | $5,550 | −1% |
| Florence, SC | 89,060 jobs | $2,000 – $9,150 | $5,600 | level |
| Hilton Head, SC | 81,920 jobs | $2,000 – $9,150 | $5,600 | level |
Cities with a workforce like Charleston's
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 | $2,000 – $9,150 | $5,550 | level |
| Boise, ID | 391,790 jobs | $2,200 – $9,500 | $5,850 | +5% |
| Des Moines, IA | 404,130 jobs | $2,350 – $9,550 | $5,950 | +7% |
| Tucson, AZ | 389,630 jobs | $2,200 – $9,500 | $5,850 | +5% |
Why two Charleston quotes can differ
Tile type
Porcelain runs $15-$50 per sq ft installed. Luxury vinyl tile is $4-$16 (HomeGuide).
Labor
Labor starts around $5 per sq ft for the simplest jobs and tops $20 for patterns or premium tile.
Tile alone
Tile costs $2-$35 per sq ft before installation, which is what makes the range so wide.
Cost by quality level and size in Charleston
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Charleston wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$2,000 to $4,850
Basic ceramic or vinyl tile, simple square layout
Standard
$4,150 to $7,000
Porcelain tile, standard layout
Premium
$6,300 to $9,150
Large-format, natural stone or patterned layouts
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| bathroom (50 sq ft) | $500 – $1,200 | $1,050 – $1,750 | $1,550 – $2,300 |
| kitchen (150 sq ft) | $1,500 – $3,650 | $3,100 – $5,250 | $4,700 – $6,850 |
| main floor (400 sq ft) | $4,000 – $9,700 | $8,300 – $14,000 | $12,600 – $18,300 |
What nearby projects cost in Charleston
Because every project leans on different trades, Charleston's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, hardwood flooring runs −8% and bathroom remodel −10%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardwood flooring | 500 sq ft | $5,050 – $11,500 | −8% |
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $1,800 – $6,450 | −8% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $4,250 – $21,000 | −10% |
| Shower pan | 1 pan | $810 – $2,550 | −10% |
Local wages behind the labor line
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Charleston is 0.80 times the national level.
Tile and stone setters (47-2044) carry 85% 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.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 15% of the weighting: a median of $20.98 an hour, 7% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $18.00 and $24.49 an hour. About 3,710 work in the metro. That is 94.1 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the tile and stone setters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($26.47 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $440. At the 25th percentile ($18.68) it shrinks by about $180. The total moves by 7.9% or 3.2%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 394,170 jobs in the Charleston-North Charleston area. That makes it the 66th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.25% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tile and stone setters (47-2044) | 85% | $18.68 | $20.92 | $26.47 | $26.77 | 0.78 | state |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 15% | $18.00 | $20.98 | $24.49 | $22.66 | 0.93 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.80 | |||||
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Tile flooring in Charleston: your questions
+How much does it cost to install a tile floor in Charleston?
For 200 sq ft, expect $2,000 to $9,150 in the Charleston area. A standard-spec job lands at $4,150 to $7,000. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for tile floor in Charleston?
About $9.95 to $46 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $12 to $50.
+Is tile floor cheaper in Charleston or Hilton Head?
Hilton Head is 65 miles away. The midpoint for 200 sq ft there is $5,600, which is 0% more than Charleston ($5,550). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Charleston?
About 36% at the midpoint, or $2,000 out of $5,550. Materials are 64% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 40%.
+What would kitchen (150 sq ft) cost in Charleston?
$1,500 to $6,850. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does tile floor 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 tile floor compared with the rest of South Carolina?
Charleston is 0% above the South Carolina statewide estimate ($5,550 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 tile floor work cost in Charleston?
For 200 sq ft, basic work runs $2,000 to $4,850 and premium work $6,300 to $9,150. Basic means: basic ceramic or vinyl tile, simple square layout. Premium means: large-format, natural stone or patterned layouts.
Tile flooring 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.