Overall
98.0
-2.0 below avg
2024 BEA RPP All 4 categories Federal source
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC
Cost-of-living indicators for Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC, compiled from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024 data year). Categories include All Items, Goods, Services, and Rents.
CBSA: 25940 · Data year: 2024 · Rank: #114 of 387
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC has a cost of living index of 98.0, meaning it's 2.0% less expensive than the national average. Goods cost 3.7% less, services 11.9% less, and rents are 1.2% above average. A $100K national salary has the purchasing power of $102,023 here.
What the Numbers Mean for Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Island ranks #114 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the upper half by cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 98.0, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC is 2.0% less expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Hilton Head Island's most and least expensive categories — rents at 101.2 versus services at 88.1 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $102,023 inside Hilton Head Island, while a household needs roughly $98,017 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 101.2 — 1.2% above the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Hilton Head Island's overall index has risen by 2.9 points, signaling tightening affordability. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 96.3 and services at 88.1, meaning everyday spending in Hilton Head Island is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
Hilton Head Island Cost Index at a Glance
Hilton Head Island all-items cost index
Regional Price Parity vs national average (100)
Hilton Head Island category breakdown
BEA RPP composition by goods, services, rents, overall
Price Index Summary
Goods
96.3
-3.7 below avg
Services
88.1
-11.9 below avg
Rents
101.2
+1.2 above avg
Price Index vs National Average (100)
Overall
National avg
Index 98.0 (-2.0 vs national avg)
Goods
National avg
Index 96.3 (-3.7 vs national avg)
Services
National avg
Index 88.1 (-11.9 vs national avg)
Rents
National avg
Index 101.2 (+1.2 vs national avg)
Vertical line on each bar = national average (100)
Cost Breakdown Analysis
Above National Average
Rents +1.2% (101.2)
Below National Average
Services -11.9% (88.1)
Goods -3.7% (96.3)
Overall -2.0% (98.0)
Income Adequacy in Hilton Head Island
Hilton Head Island income adequacy score
$75,000 median income vs RPP 98.0
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$98,017
in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$49,009
$75,000 nationally
$73,513
$125,000 nationally
$122,521
$150,000 nationally
$147,026
$200,000 nationally
$196,034
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has been trending upward, increasing by 2.9 points over this period.
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 95.1 |
| 2009 | 92.6 |
| 2010 | 95.9 |
| 2011 | 93.0 |
| 2012 | 93.6 |
| 2013 | 95.7 |
| 2014 | 94.9 |
| 2015 | 95.2 |
| 2016 | 96.0 |
| 2017 | 92.0 |
| 2018 | 95.9 |
| 2019 | 97.7 |
| 2020 | 93.6 |
| 2021 | 99.1 |
| 2022 | 99.3 |
| 2023 | 96.0 |
| 2024 | 98.0 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC's index of 98.0.
Other SC Metros
Related Data for Hilton Head Island
Salary Data
BLS occupation wages for Hilton Head Island area
Fair Market Rents
HUD rent data for Hilton Head Island metro
Crime Rates
FBI UCR crime data near Hilton Head Island
School Districts
NCES school data for Hilton Head Island area
ZIP Code Data
Census demographics for Hilton Head Island area
Life Score
Quality-of-life composite rating
Relocation Guide
7-dimension relocation intelligence
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC? ▼
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 98.0, meaning it is 2.0% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 96.3, services at 88.1, and rents at 101.2. It ranks #114 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $98,017 in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC. Conversely, $100K earned in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC has the purchasing power of $102,023 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC? ▼
Rents in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC are indexed at 101.2, which is 1.2% above the national average. This is close to the U.S. average.
Is Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC's overall cost index changed by +2.9 points (from 95.1 to 98.0). The cost of living has been trending upward.
What costs the most in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC? ▼
The most expensive category in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC is rents at 101.2, which is 1.2% above the national average. The most affordable category is services at 88.1, 11.9% below average.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, Carson City. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC's 98.0.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Related
Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — cost-of-living indices by metro and state. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — inflation context by metro. bls.gov/cpi
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — housing-cost component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage component. bls.gov/oes
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — household income + demographics. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-burden context. irs.gov/statistics
