It can be, and your total depends on your dates, group size, cars and dining. Compare three costs: lodging, parking and meals. City-operated garages charge up to $24 a day per car, and the DASH shuttle downtown is free. A group sharing one home with enough parking and a kitchen splits the bill.
The numbers below come from the City of Charleston and CARTA, checked on November 3, 2026, and from CHC's own property pages. We left out restaurant and lodging prices because they change daily and no official source publishes them. Use this guide to price your trip, then compare the full after-tax total for the home that fits your group.
What costs should you compare for a Charleston trip?
Compare accommodation, transportation and meals. Your actual total depends on your dates, group size, number of cars and dining choices. This guide covers the official figures: short-term rental taxes, city-operated garage rates and the free DASH shuttle.
Cost | What the official source says | How a CHC stay changes it |
Lodging taxes | The city lists 14 percent in combined taxes for short-term rentals in the City of Charleston, Charleston County part | Tax treatment varies by property. Compare the full checkout total, then split it across the group |
Garage parking | City-operated garages charge $1 per 20 minutes, up to $24 a day per parking event. Lost ticket fee is $50 | Every CHC listing includes at least one off-street space. Space counts and size limits vary |
Getting around | The DASH shuttle downtown is free | If the home fits your cars, leave them parked and walk or ride DASH where stops are convenient |
Meals | No official figure | Several CHC homes have full kitchens, and the smaller suites have kitchenettes |
COMPARE TOTALS AFTER TAX
A nightly price is not the price you pay. Ask for the full total with taxes and fees for your dates, then divide it by the number of guests. That is the number to compare.
How much does parking add to a Charleston trip?
In a city-operated garage, up to $24 per car for each day, per the City of Charleston. A group with three cars over three days could pay up to $216. Rates at privately operated garages may differ.
Cars | 1 day | 3 days | 5 days |
1 | Up to $24 | Up to $72 | Up to $120 |
2 | Up to $48 | Up to $144 | Up to $240 |
3 | Up to $72 | Up to $216 | Up to $360 |
6 | Up to $144 | Up to $432 | Up to $720 |
These are ceilings from the City of Charleston parking page, which counts a day from midnight to midnight for each parking event. Overnight parking has its own rules on that page, so check them before you leave a car in a garage. Our guide to parking in downtown Charleston covers garages, meters and evening rates.
Some city garages also offer discounted evening rates. 93 Queen Street lists a $7 flat rate after 3 p.m. and $5 after 5 p.m., and East Bay/Prioleau and Majestic list $5 after 5 p.m. These rates end at 3 a.m., when regular garage rates apply again.
A CHC home can cut or remove garage costs if its off-street spaces fit your cars. 118 President, the entire home, lists six spaces, 179 St. Philip E lists two, 118 President A and B list three each, and 33 B Cannon lists one. If your group brings more cars than the home fits, the extra cars need a garage.
CHECK YOUR CAR FITS THE SPACE
Some spaces have size limits. 2 Charles and Suite 2 list a space of 6.5 by 16.5 feet, and Cannon 407 lists 8 by 18 feet. If your car is too big, the listing says you will be directed to the nearest garage.
What taxes apply to a Charleston short-term rental?
For short-term residential rentals in the City of Charleston in Charleston County, the city's published table lists a combined 14 percent. The taxes that apply can depend on how a property is classified and rented, so confirm the full checkout total for your booking.
Tax | Rate | Remitted to |
State sales tax | 5.0% | State |
State accommodations tax | 2.0% | State |
Local option sales tax | 1.0% | State |
County transportation tax | 1.0% | State |
School district education tax | 1.0% | State |
Charleston County accommodations tax | 2.0% | Charleston County |
City of Charleston accommodations tax | 2.0% | Charleston County |
Total | 14.0% |
Source: the City of Charleston accommodations tax table. The same table shows 12 percent for short-term rentals in the Berkeley County part of the city. Some CHC listings, such as Cannon 407, say they are zoned as a hotel by the City of Charleston, so do not assume this table applies to every home. When you compare a shared rental, use the full booking total, including applicable taxes and fees, then divide it by the number of guests.
How can a group cut the per person cost of a Charleston trip?
Book one home that fits everyone, with enough parking and a kitchen. The group then splits one booking total, skips garage fees and can cook some meals in.
CHC home | Sleeps | Bedrooms | Off-street parking | Kitchen |
118 President, entire home (A and B booked together) | 16 | 6 | 6 spaces | Two full kitchens |
179 St. Philip E | 10 | 4 | 2 spaces | Full kitchen |
118 President A or B | 8 each | 3 each | 3 spaces each | Full kitchen |
33 B Cannon | 8 | 3 | 1 space | Full kitchen |
3 Tully | 6 | 3 | 1 space | Full kitchen |
2 Charles | 4 | 1 | 1 space | Full kitchen |
18 Carolina | 4 | 1 | 2 spaces | Full kitchen |
Pool House | 4 | 1 | 1 space | Kitchenette |
Suite 1, Suite 2 or Cannon 407 | 2 | 1 | 1 space | Kitchenette |
The math is simple: take the full total for your dates and divide by the number of guests. For a family reunion or a group of friends, 118 President, the entire home sleeps 16 with six bedrooms and six bathrooms. Compare every CHC home with three or more bedrooms for groups of six to ten, and see our take on renting a vacation home instead of booking hotel rooms.
GROUP STAYS, NOT PARTIES
Every CHC home that sleeps eight or more states that parties are not allowed, and breaking that rule means immediate eviction. These homes suit families, reunions and friend trips that keep noise down at night.
What is free in downtown Charleston?
The DASH shuttle is free. CARTA runs three DASH lines on the peninsula, with stops that include the Visitor Center, King Street, the City Market, Waterfront Park, the SC Aquarium and the College of Charleston.
DASH line | Stops CARTA lists |
Orange Line (Route 210) | SC Aquarium, College of Charleston, Visitors Center |
Green Line (Route 211) | Visitors Center, College of Charleston, Medical Complex, Ashley River hotels, The Citadel and stadiums |
Purple Line (Route 213) | Visitors Center, Historic King Street, Four Corners of Law, Broad Street, Waterfront Park, City Market, Charleston Museum, Upper King |
Details and the route map are on the CARTA DASH page. Check the nearest stop to your rental before you rely on it for a trip. If your home has room for your cars, leave them parked and walk or ride DASH.
What should you know about cancellation before you book?
CHC's policies are strict, and the refund window depends on the home. Small units refund in full more than 7 days out, larger homes more than 30 days out, and 118 President refunds 50 percent more than 30 days out.
Homes | Refund if you cancel | Within the window |
Pool House, Suite 1, Suite 2, Cannon 407, 18 Carolina C, 2 Charles, 179 St. Philip D | Full refund more than 7 full days before check in | No refund within 7 days |
118 A, 118 B, 179 E, 33 B, 3 Tully and all 30 night minimums | Full refund more than 30 full days before check in | No refund within 30 days |
118 President, entire home | 50 percent refund more than 30 full days before check in | No refund within 30 days |
Eligible refunds are subject to a 6.2 percent card processing fee, and alteration requests follow the applicable cancellation policy. Read the full CHC booking and cancellation policies before you pay.
LOCK DATES BEFORE YOU BOOK
Because refunds close 7 or 30 days before arrival, confirm your dates and headcount with the group first. Then book the home that fits everyone in one reservation.
Where should you stay to keep a Charleston trip affordable?
Pick the home that fits your group size and car count, so nobody pays for an extra room or a garage. Couples can book a one-bedroom suite, and groups can share one larger home.
For two, browse our one-bedroom rentals for two. Suite 1, Suite 2 and Cannon 407 each list one off-street space. Families of four can look at 2 Charles, 18 Carolina or the Pool House. Groups of eight to sixteen should start with 118 President, 179 St. Philip E or 33 B Cannon.
FAQs
City-operated garages charge $1 per 20 minutes, with a $24 daily maximum per parking event, and a lost ticket costs $50. Three cars for three days could reach $216. Every CHC listing includes at least one off-street space, but counts and size limits vary.
For short-term residential rentals in the City of Charleston in Charleston County, the city's tax table lists a combined 14 percent. Tax treatment can vary by property, and some CHC listings are zoned as hotels, so compare the full checkout total for your exact booking.
Yes. CARTA's Downtown Area Shuttle, called DASH, is free. Three lines cover stops such as the Visitor Center, King Street, the City Market, Waterfront Park and the SC Aquarium. Check the nearest stop to your rental on the route map.
It depends on your quote. A shared home is booked as one total that the whole group splits, and every CHC listing includes off-street parking and a kitchen or kitchenette. Separate hotel rooms are priced per room. Compare full after-tax totals for your dates, then divide by guests.
It depends on the home. Small units refund in full more than 7 days before check in, larger homes more than 30 days before, and 118 President refunds 50 percent more than 30 days out. Refunds carry a 6.2 percent card processing fee.
How do you book a CHC home for your Charleston trip?
Check open dates on the availability page, or call or email the CHC team with your dates, group size and number of cars. CHC Vacation Rentals owns and manages a growing portfolio of boutique rentals across Charleston, from one-bedroom units to a home that sleeps 16.
Call 843.329.2040 or email bookings@chcvacationrentals.com, and ask for the full total with taxes for your dates. We will match you to a home with enough beds and parking for everyone.