Corporate Housing in Charleston: A Guide for HR and Relocation Managers
Quick answer: Corporate housing in Charleston, SC is a fully furnished home or apartment rented for 30 nights or more, with utilities, Wi-Fi, and furnishings bundled into one monthly invoice. For HR and relocation teams it usually costs less per month than an extended-stay hotel, gives the employee a real home instead of a room, and becomes exempt from South Carolina accommodations tax once the same person stays 90 continuous days or more. Proper Stays places employees in furnished homes across downtown Charleston, Mount Pleasant, West Ashley, Park Circle, Daniel Island, and James Island, with 30+ night minimums and one point of contact for the whole assignment.
Why Charleston assignments need a housing plan
Charleston is not only a tourism market. Boeing South Carolina, Volvo Cars, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Bosch, Joint Base Charleston, MUSC Health, and the Port of Charleston all pull people into the Lowcountry on 1 to 12 month assignments. Add film and production crews and a steady flow of travel nurses, and you get a housing market where the good furnished inventory is spoken for early.
The default move, booking a hotel block and hoping the assignment is short, is where budgets quietly break. Charleston’s federal per diem lodging rate for FY2026 is $244 per night, rising to $288 per night in the March to May peak. At $244 a night, a 60-day assignment runs roughly $14,600 in room charges alone before parking, taxes, or meals. That is real money for a room with no kitchen.
What corporate housing actually costs
National benchmarks for 2026 put a standard one-bedroom furnished corporate unit around $3,300 per month, with most U.S. markets landing between $3,200 and $3,600 all-inclusive. Charleston sits in that band rather than at coastal-metro pricing. Local unfurnished rents average roughly $2,100 to $2,900 per month depending on the source and bedroom count, and operators generally price furnished, all-in homes at a premium over that unfurnished base.
| Extended-stay hotel | Furnished corporate home | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical 30-night cost | $9,000–$21,000+ at typical Charleston nightly rates | One monthly rate, all-in |
| Utilities and Wi-Fi | Usually included | Included |
| Kitchen and laundry | Kitchenette, shared laundry | Full kitchen, in-unit laundry |
| Space | One room | Whole home, 1 to 4 bedrooms |
| Taxes after 90 days | Still taxed nightly if billed as transient | Exempt at 90 continuous days |
| Invoicing | Nightly folios | One monthly invoice per assignment |
Figures above are planning estimates. Actual pricing depends on home, neighborhood, and season, and we quote per assignment.
The 90-day rule every relocation manager should know
South Carolina charges sales tax on accommodations rented to the same person for less than 90 consecutive days. Once accommodations are supplied to the same person for 90 continuous days, those proceeds are excluded from the accommodations tax under SC Code Section 12-36-920. The SC Department of Revenue states it plainly: you are not required to hold an accommodations tax license if you only rent for more than 90 consecutive days.
Practical takeaway for HR: if an assignment is likely to run a full quarter, structuring it as one continuous stay rather than a series of short bookings can change the tax treatment of the whole placement. Confirm specifics with your tax team, and tell your housing provider the expected assignment length up front so the paperwork matches reality.
Matching the neighborhood to the assignment
- Downtown and South of Broad: best for executives, consultants, and anyone who wants to walk to King Street, the Charleston Gaillard Center, and the waterfront.
- Mount Pleasant: families and longer relocations. Strong schools, easy Ravenel Bridge access to downtown, close to Isle of Palms and Sullivan’s Island.
- West Ashley and James Island: value, parking, and a fast commute to MUSC and the Charleston peninsula.
- Park Circle, North Charleston: the shortest run to Boeing South Carolina, Joint Base Charleston, and Charleston International Airport, with a walkable restaurant district.
- Daniel Island: quiet, newer housing stock, convenient for Volvo, Mercedes-Benz Vans, and Bosch commuters heading up I-526.
What to ask any Charleston housing provider
- Is the monthly rate truly all-in, including utilities, Wi-Fi, and furnishings?
- What is the minimum stay, and what happens if the assignment extends or ends early?
- Are there leasing or application fees per employee?
- Who does the employee call at 9pm when the water heater fails?
- Can you invoice the company directly, monthly, in a format our AP team can process?
- Are pets allowed, and on which homes?
How Proper Stays works with employers
We manage furnished homes, not house-shaped hotel rooms. Every stay is 30+ nights, utilities and Wi-Fi are included, there are no leasing fees, and your employee walks into a home that is ready on day one, so no furniture rental, no truck, no setup weekend. When the same executive comes back next year, we try to put them in the same home.
For repeat placements we hold a standing profile for your company: preferred neighborhoods, budget bands, pet policy, and billing contact, so the next request is a single email instead of a search. Start with our corporate housing page or send an RFP to Team@ProperStays.com.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum stay for corporate housing in Charleston?
At Proper Stays, 30 nights. Many corporate assignments run 60 to 180 nights, and rates improve with length.
Is corporate housing cheaper than a hotel in Charleston?
For stays past about three weeks, generally yes. Charleston’s FY2026 federal per diem lodging rate is $244 per night ($288 in peak season), while all-inclusive furnished monthly rates typically benchmark near the low-to-mid $3,000s nationally. Compare the full monthly cost, not the nightly headline.
Do we pay South Carolina accommodations tax on corporate housing?
Accommodations tax applies to stays of less than 90 consecutive days by the same person. Stays of 90 continuous days or more to the same person are excluded under SC Code Section 12-36-920. Confirm treatment with your tax advisor.
Are utilities and Wi-Fi included?
Yes. Electricity, water, and Wi-Fi are bundled into the monthly rate, so there is one invoice per assignment.
Can you house a whole project team?
Yes. We place multiple employees across our Charleston portfolio and coordinate move-ins so a team arrives together.
Which Charleston neighborhoods are closest to Boeing and MUSC?
Park Circle and North Charleston for Boeing South Carolina and Joint Base Charleston. Downtown, West Ashley, and James Island for MUSC.
How do we get started?
Call or text (843) 640-0897 or email Team@ProperStays.com with your dates, headcount, and budget. We are at 105 Smalls Alley, Charleston, SC 29403.
Proper Stays manages furnished executive and corporate rentals across Charleston and the Lowcountry: 30 nights and up, with hotel-level service and residential comfort. Browse available homes or call/text (843) 640-0897.