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State cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Cost of Living in South Carolina

Statewide Regional Price Parities for South Carolina from the Bureau of Economic Analysis — overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100, across 8 metro areas.

93.7
Statewide RPP
#33
of 51 states by cost
80.5
Rents RPP
8
Metro areas

The verdict

South Carolina costs less than 65% of U.S. states — a statewide index of 93.7, 6.3% below the national average.

93.7
statewide cost index (US average = 100)
#33
of 51 states by overall cost
bottom 35%
nationally, among all states
80.5
rents RPP — the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $106,668 when earned in South Carolina.

Reading the South Carolina Cost of Living Picture

The Bureau of Economic Analysis places South Carolina's statewide Regional Price Parity at 93.7 for the 2024 data year, 6.3% less expensive the U.S. baseline of 100. Inside the headline figure, the state's categories sit near average, while rents offer the biggest relief at 80.5. That internal spread — rather than the single state number — is what determines whether a household actually feels priced in or priced out.

South Carolina captures 8 metro areas in the BEA dataset, and the range across them is meaningful. Charleston-North Charleston, SC leads on cost at 101.0, while Florence, SC sits at the opposite end at 86.8 — a gap of 14.2 index points inside a single state. For goods the state indexes at 96.3, for services 88.3, and for rents 80.5 — the rent figure tends to be the most volatile input and deserves its own line-item review before any relocation decision.

Over time, South Carolina's statewide index has held steady within 1.8 points, suggesting a stable competitive position against other states. Practically, this means a $100,000 national salary delivers the purchasing power of about $106,668 of national buying power when earned inside South Carolina, and a household relocating here would need roughly $93,749 to reproduce a $100K lifestyle. Pair these numbers with metro-specific wage data and rent tables before treating the statewide figure as your planning assumption.

93.7
Overall
96.3
Goods
88.3
Services
80.5
Rents

South Carolina vs every U.S. state

Where this state sits in the national cost distribution

94 Top 65% higher than 35% of 51 US states

84–87: 2 US states (4%). Below this entry. 87–90: 7 US states (14%). Below this entry. 90–93: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 93–96: 6 US states (12%). This entry sits in this band. 96–99: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 99–102: 5 US states (10%). Above this entry. 102–105: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 105–108: 3 US states (6%). Above this entry. 108–111: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 111–114: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. 114–117: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. This state 84 117 every US state (incl. DC), bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities · 2024

Most Expensive in South Carolina → Cheapest in South Carolina →

Metro areas in South Carolina, ranked by cost

# Metro area OverallGoodsServicesRents
1 Charleston-North Charleston 101.0 96.3 88.2 119.8
2 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal 98.0 96.3 88.1 101.2
3 Columbia 93.7 96.3 88.3 79.5
4 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach 93.6 96.3 88.0 83.1
5 Greenville-Anderson-Greer 93.3 96.3 88.8 76.8
6 Spartanburg 91.1 96.3 88.3 68.0
7 Sumter 88.0 96.3 87.3 60.8
8 Florence 86.8 96.3 87.7 52.4

The Rents RPP index measures housing costs relative to the national average (100). For the federal 40th-percentile Fair Market Rent by bedroom size and county, see the HUD Fair Market Rents dataset.

RPP History

Year Overall
2008 92.0
2009 91.0
2010 92.7
2011 93.2
2012 93.4
2013 93.3
2014 93.2
2015 93.3
2016 93.6
2017 92.8
2018 92.2
2019 91.5
2020 90.9
2021 93.6
2022 93.3
2023 93.5
2024 93.7

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
Cost of Living vs Wages
Where your dollar goes furthest
Understanding Regional Price Parities
How BEA constructs RPP data

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in South Carolina? ▼
South Carolina has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 93.7, meaning it is 6.3% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 96.3, services at 88.3, and rents at 80.5.
What salary in South Carolina equals $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $93,749 in South Carolina. Conversely, $100K earned in South Carolina has the purchasing power of $106,668 at the national average.
Is housing expensive in South Carolina? ▼
Rents in South Carolina are indexed at 80.5, which is 19.5% below the national average. The state is relatively affordable for renters.
Which is the most expensive metro in South Carolina? ▼
The most expensive metro area in South Carolina is Charleston-North Charleston, SC with an RPP of 101.0. The most affordable is Florence, SC at 86.8. There are 8 metro areas in South Carolina with BEA price data.
Is South Carolina getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, South Carolina's overall cost index changed by +1.8 points (from 92.0 to 93.7). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Index where national average = 100

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.