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

South Carolina vs North Carolina: 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 North Carolina?

  • Overall, living costs in North Carolina and South Carolina are within 1% of each other (BEA, 2024).
  • To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in South Carolina works out to about $75,500 in North Carolina, before taxes.
  • Housing is 1.1% higher in North Carolina, goods 0.3% higher and other services 0.1% lower, which roughly cancel out.
  • After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $56,310 in North Carolina and $52,463 in South Carolina (7.3% higher in North Carolina; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
  • Inside each state, metro price levels run from 88.0 in Rocky Mount, NC to 98.2 in Raleigh, NC (North Carolina) 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 (0.4%).

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).

Overall prices are about the same in South Carolina and North Carolina

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

  • South Carolina
  • North Carolina
All items
93.7 94.3
Goods
96.3 96.6
Housing (rents)
80.5 81.4
Utilities
88.3 88.6
Other services
98.3 98.2

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

Show the numbers
South CarolinaNorth Carolina
All items93.794.3
Goods96.396.6
Housing (rents)80.581.4
Utilities88.388.6
Other services98.398.2
CategorySouth CarolinaNorth CarolinaNorth Carolina vs South Carolina
All items93.794.3+0.6%
Goods96.396.6+0.3%
Housing (rents)80.581.4+1.1%
Utilities88.388.6+0.4%
Other services98.398.2−0.1%
Income per person, adjusted for prices $52,463 $56,310 +7.3%
Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* $3.86 $3.86 0.0%
Salary to match $75,000 in South Carolina $75,000 $75,500 +0.6%

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). *Lower Atlantic region average (EIA has no separate North 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

North Carolina

  1. Rocky Mount, NC 88.0
  2. Pinehurst, NC 88.3
  3. Greenville, NC 88.4
  4. Goldsboro, NC 88.5
  5. Hickory, NC 88.5
  6. Fayetteville, NC 92.0
  7. Winston-Salem, NC 92.0
  8. Jacksonville, NC 92.1
  9. Greensboro, NC 92.9
  10. Burlington, NC 93.2
  11. Wilmington, NC 96.4
  12. Asheville, NC 96.5
  13. Charlotte, NC 97.3
  14. Durham, NC 97.6
  15. Virginia Beach, VA 97.9
  16. Raleigh, NC 98.2

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 North Carolina has been fairly stable since 2008

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

  • South Carolina
  • North Carolina
US average = 100

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

Show the numbers
South CarolinaNorth Carolina
200892.092.4
200991.091.3
201092.792.9
201193.293.6
201293.493.5
201393.393.7
201493.293.8
201593.393.6
201693.693.8
201792.893.0
201892.292.9
201991.591.9
202090.991.3
202193.693.7
202293.394.0
202393.594.4
202493.794.3

Goods

  • South Carolina
  • North Carolina
US = 100

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

Show the numbers
South CarolinaNorth Carolina
200896.796.6
200994.194.3
201096.796.9
201196.196.4
201295.395.6
201396.096.0
201496.195.7
201595.195.0
201695.995.9
201795.695.7
201895.395.7
201995.795.7
202095.495.4
202196.196.2
202294.595.6
202395.996.8
202496.396.6

Housing (rents)

  • South Carolina
  • North Carolina
US = 100

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

Show the numbers
South CarolinaNorth Carolina
200872.574.3
200974.675.3
201074.675.4
201175.376.3
201275.775.8
201374.376.0
201473.476.3
201574.675.8
201673.974.7
201774.075.5
201873.975.3
201974.475.4
202074.675.0
202176.176.0
202278.778.8
202380.580.8
202480.581.4

Utilities

  • South Carolina
  • North Carolina
US = 100

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

Show the numbers
South CarolinaNorth Carolina
200886.185.4
200987.285.5
201089.487.6
201191.287.3
201295.090.5
201394.789.8
201497.490.4
201597.891.0
201696.988.4
201794.585.4
201893.286.8
201996.089.2
202093.787.7
202190.784.6
202289.282.5
202385.883.6
202488.388.6

Other services

  • South Carolina
  • North Carolina
US = 100

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

Show the numbers
South CarolinaNorth Carolina
200897.697.7
200996.496.6
201098.298.1
201199.599.5
201299.999.9
201399.9100.0
201499.7100.2
2015100.2100.3
2016100.7100.7
201799.098.8
201897.998.3
201995.795.8
202095.095.5
202199.999.6
202299.499.7
202397.998.7
202498.398.2

What incomes buy in each state

Income per person after adjusting for prices: $56,310 in North Carolina, $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
  • North Carolina
  • United States

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

Show the numbers
South CarolinaNorth CarolinaUnited States
2008$40,414$45,858$45,816
2009$39,564$44,321$44,204
2010$39,099$42,691$44,808
2011$39,842$42,462$45,957
2012$40,612$44,038$46,796
2013$40,250$42,463$46,358
2014$41,750$43,820$47,661
2015$43,683$45,796$49,396
2016$44,377$46,302$49,828
2017$45,761$47,646$51,006
2018$46,643$48,676$52,242
2019$48,823$50,966$53,683
2020$51,406$54,346$56,514
2021$52,444$56,146$59,365
2022$50,407$54,204$57,104
2023$51,320$54,748$58,088
2024$52,463$56,310$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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