South ranking
8 South Carolina cities ranked by cost of living, cheapest first.
Index 89
Index 107
Sorted by cost-of-living index — lowest (most affordable) first.
| # | City | Cost index | Median rent | Median income | Population | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greenville | 89 | $1,173/mo | $65,519 | 71K | Compare → |
| 2 | Columbia | 89 | $1,105/mo | $54,095 | 137K | Compare → |
| 3 | Rock Hill | 97 | $1,193/mo | $60,807 | 74K | Compare → |
| 4 | North Charleston | 106 | $1,288/mo | $58,534 | 116K | Compare → |
| 5 | Summerville | 106 | $1,328/mo | $73,712 | 51K | Compare → |
| 6 | Goose Creek | 106 | $1,507/mo | $84,041 | 46K | Compare → |
| 7 | Charleston | 106 | $1,517/mo | $83,891 | 150K | Compare → |
| 8 | Mount Pleasant | 107 | $1,901/mo | $115,167 | 91K | Compare → |
So you're thinking about South Carolina. The strongest arguments for it are around incomes run above the us median and the ocean is part of life here. Detail on each below.
Across our South Carolina city data, typical household income lands near $74,471. That's above the national median, which puts more cushion under whatever the local cost of living happens to be.
Living in South Carolina puts Atlantic coastline within driving range of most of the state. The practical upshot: weekend beach trips, easier access to seafood that hasn't been on a truck for a week, and a milder climate near the coast than the same latitude would have inland.
Reasons reflect aggregated city data for South Carolina (Census ACS, BLS, BEA) plus well-known state-level geography. We only list points that are actually supported — different states show different sections.
Across South Carolina, Greenville is the most affordable city we track (cost index 89, with median rent around $1,173/mo), while Mount Pleasant sits at the top of the range with an index of 107—roughly 21% pricier than Greenville. Use the table above to compare any South Carolina city directly against Greenville.
The other end of the ranking — priciest first.