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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Straight up: Premium market, smart picks: while South Carolina trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. And as far as the data shows, columbia at index 85 — though some people might weigh that differently — is the standou…
129,330 residents · South Carolina
Real talk: the #1 spot goes to Columbia, and the breakdown explains why. And on balance, renters here pay $1,459/month — saving renters $5,232 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 85, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 97. That alone makes it worth considering. The 31% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
121,469 residents · South Carolina
Here's North Charleston by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 98. Rent: $1,670/month. Income: $62,789/year. Home price: $307,981. That's about what we'd expect given the state context. Population: 121,469. The strongest category is Housing at 98; the most expensive is Healthcare at 100. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $2,700 per year vs. the national median. This is worth factoring into any relocation decision.
155,369 residents · South Carolina
A closer look at Charleston: the cost index of 124 breaks down to a Healthcare index of 105 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 124 (weakest). About what you'd guess. Median rent is $2,127/month — 12% above the national median — while household income sits at $90,038, meaning locals spend about 28% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
#1 Ranked: Columbia — cost index 85, rent $1,459/mo, income $55,653
2 of 3 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia | 85 | $1,459 | Details |
| 2 | North Charleston | 98 | $1,670 | Details |
| 3 | Charleston | 124 | $2,127 | Details |
Straight up: Premium market, smart picks: while South Carolina trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. And as far as the data shows, columbia at index 85 — though some people might weigh that differently — is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving South Carolina.
Columbia comes in at #1. Rent is $1,459 a month. Household income is $55,653. The cost of living index is 85. Fairly typical for a city this size.
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. That tracks. 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours.
Columbia ranks #1 in South Carolina for this analysis with a cost index of 85 and median income of $55,653.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Columbia (ranked #1) has a cost index of 85 and rent of $1,459/mo, while Charleston (ranked #3) has a cost index of 124 and rent of $2,127/mo — a 39-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Columbia is $1,459/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $436 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Columbia is $226,769, which is 4.1× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
South Carolina has a 6.4% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 7.44%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.52%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.