USA Cost of Living Compare US cities and states with official data

South Carolina vs Florida: cost of living compared

Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).

Is it cheaper to live in South Carolina or Florida?

  • Overall, Florida is 10.3% more expensive than South Carolina (BEA, 2024).
  • To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in South Carolina works out to about $82,700 in Florida, before taxes.
  • Most of the difference is housing, which costs 51.7% more in Florida. Goods are 1.8% higher and other services 3.1% higher.
  • After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $57,131 in Florida and $52,463 in South Carolina (8.9% higher in Florida; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
  • Inside each state, metro price levels run from 85.4 in The Villages, FL to 114.2 in Miami, FL (Florida) and from 86.8 in Florence, SC to 101.0 in Charleston, SC (South Carolina), US = 100.
  • The gap is about where it was in 2019 (8.9%).

derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities and real personal income by state. Statewide averages mix cities and rural areas; taxes are not included. How we calculate.

Try your own salary

18% matches BEA's average basket. Set your own share if housing takes more or less of your budget.

Category by category

Both states against the US average (100).

Housing drives the gap: 51.7% higher in Florida than in South Carolina

Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.

  • South Carolina
  • Florida
All items
93.7 103.4
Goods
96.3 98.1
Housing (rents)
80.5 122.1
Utilities
88.3 90.1
Other services
98.3 101.3

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
South CarolinaFlorida
All items93.7103.4
Goods96.398.1
Housing (rents)80.5122.1
Utilities88.390.1
Other services98.3101.3
CategorySouth CarolinaFloridaFlorida vs South Carolina
All items93.7103.4+10.3%
Goods96.398.1+1.8%
Housing (rents)80.5122.1+51.7%
Utilities88.390.1+2.0%
Other services98.3101.3+3.1%
Income per person, adjusted for prices $52,463 $57,131 +8.9%
Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* $3.86 $3.98 +3.1%
Salary to match $75,000 in South Carolina $75,000 $82,700 +10.3%

Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Income: BEA real personal income per person, 2017 dollars. Gas: EIA weekly retail prices. *Lower Atlantic region average (EIA has no separate South Carolina figure).

Cheapest and most expensive places in each state

South Carolina

  1. Florence, SC 86.8
  2. Sumter, SC 88.0
  3. Spartanburg, SC 91.1
  4. Augusta, GA 91.9
  5. Greenville, SC 93.3
  6. Myrtle Beach, SC 93.6
  7. Columbia, SC 93.7
  8. Charlotte, NC 97.3
  9. Hilton Head Island, SC 98.0
  10. Charleston, SC 101.0

Florida

  1. The Villages, FL 85.4
  2. Sebring, FL 92.5
  3. Homosassa Springs, FL 93.5
  4. Tallahassee, FL 93.9
  5. Ocala, FL 95.2
  6. Gainesville, FL 96.7
  7. Crestview, FL 97.0
  8. Lakeland, FL 97.1
  9. Panama City, FL 97.3
  10. Pensacola, FL 97.7
  11. Sebastian, FL 98.3
  12. Deltona, FL 99.4
  13. Jacksonville, FL 99.5
  14. Palm Bay, FL 100.0
  15. Port St. Lucie, FL 100.2
  16. Punta Gorda, FL 100.5
  17. Tampa, FL 100.9
  18. Orlando, FL 101.4
  19. Cape Coral, FL 102.3
  20. North Port, FL 102.4
  21. Naples, FL 103.2
  22. Miami, FL 114.2

Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.

How the gap has changed since 2008

The price gap between South Carolina and Florida has been fairly stable since 2008

Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.

  • South Carolina
  • Florida
US average = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
South CarolinaFlorida
200892.0101.7
200991.0100.5
201092.7100.4
201193.2100.8
201293.4101.1
201393.3100.7
201493.2100.9
201593.3101.3
201693.6101.1
201792.8100.9
201892.2100.3
201991.599.6
202090.9100.6
202193.6101.4
202293.3102.3
202393.5103.6
202493.7103.4

Goods

  • South Carolina
  • Florida
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
South CarolinaFlorida
200896.798.9
200994.197.0
201096.797.3
201196.197.4
201295.398.0
201396.098.6
201496.198.3
201595.197.4
201695.997.5
201795.698.4
201895.397.7
201995.796.1
202095.497.4
202196.198.4
202294.598.0
202395.998.2
202496.398.1

Housing (rents)

  • South Carolina
  • Florida
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
South CarolinaFlorida
200872.5115.1
200974.6111.0
201074.6108.7
201175.3108.2
201275.7108.8
201374.3107.4
201473.4108.2
201574.6109.3
201673.9109.4
201774.0110.5
201873.9110.7
201974.4112.0
202074.6113.6
202176.1112.9
202278.7116.3
202380.5123.2
202480.5122.1

Utilities

  • South Carolina
  • Florida
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
South CarolinaFlorida
200886.198.6
200987.2101.2
201089.496.2
201191.295.3
201295.093.5
201394.793.6
201497.495.3
201597.892.4
201696.989.9
201794.587.5
201893.291.1
201996.094.4
202093.789.8
202190.790.0
202289.294.8
202385.893.7
202488.390.1

Other services

  • South Carolina
  • Florida
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
South CarolinaFlorida
200897.699.0
200996.499.0
201098.299.8
201199.5101.0
201299.9100.9
201399.9100.3
201499.7100.5
2015100.2101.8
2016100.7101.3
201799.0100.1
201897.999.2
201995.798.3
202095.098.8
202199.9100.4
202299.4101.2
202397.9101.5
202498.3101.3

What incomes buy in each state

Income per person after adjusting for prices: $57,131 in Florida, $52,463 in South Carolina

Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).

  • South Carolina
  • Florida
  • United States

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.

Show the numbers
South CarolinaFloridaUnited States
2008$40,414$43,259$45,816
2009$39,564$41,209$44,204
2010$39,099$42,735$44,808
2011$39,842$43,268$45,957
2012$40,612$43,189$46,796
2013$40,250$42,278$46,358
2014$41,750$43,812$47,661
2015$43,683$45,693$49,396
2016$44,377$46,126$49,828
2017$45,761$48,141$51,006
2018$46,643$49,935$52,242
2019$48,823$52,128$53,683
2020$51,406$53,897$56,514
2021$52,444$56,789$59,365
2022$50,407$55,163$57,104
2023$51,320$56,138$58,088
2024$52,463$57,131$59,195

More

Related state comparisons

What this comparison leaves out

  • Taxes. State income, sales and property taxes differ a lot between states and are not included.
  • Where you live inside the state. Statewide figures average cities and rural areas; the metro lists above show the spread.
  • Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider if housing is a bigger share of your budget.
  • Timing. BEA price levels and incomes are for 2024; gas prices are weekly.

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