Moving to South Carolina from Missouri

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Missouri to South Carolina? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Missouri to South Carolina, you would find that South Carolina is 8.6% more expensive than Missouri. A $75,000 salary in Missouri would need to be roughly $87,273 in South Carolina to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Missouri and South Carolina.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $87,273

To maintain the same standard of living in South Carolina

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 14.2% more

Groceries

pay 13.3% more

Transportation

pay 9.0% less

Housing

pay 22.3% more

Childcare

pay 16.3% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in South Carolina compared to Missouri.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MO
453
SC
454
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MO
2070
SC
2116

Missouri performs better than South Carolina across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

MO
8.9%
SC
9.2%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MO
37.5%
SC
35.4%

Missouri generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Carolina leads in adult obesity rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

MO
$215,600
SC
$236,700
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

MO
$996
SC
$1,126

Missouri generally does better on what about housing?, though South Carolina leads in homeownership rate.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MO
88.3%
SC
87.0%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

MO
24 min
SC
26 min

Missouri performs better than South Carolina across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MO
3.3%
SC
4.9%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MO
$56,344
SC
$49,914

Missouri performs better than South Carolina across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

MO
75.1 yrs
SC
74.8 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

MO
22%
SC
20%

Missouri performs better than South Carolina across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Columbia Rain: 46.3 in/yr (1175 mm)
66° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Columbia Rain: 46.3 in/yr (1175 mm)
66° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Columbia Columbia
Jan–Mar 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C)
Apr–Jun 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) 76°/55°F (24°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) 86°/65°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) 55°/36°F (13°/2°C)
View all months
Month Columbia Columbia
Jan 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C)
Feb 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C)
Mar 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C)
Apr 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C)
May 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C)
Jun 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C)
Jul 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C)
Aug 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C)
Sep 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C)
Oct 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C)
Nov 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C)
Dec 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C) 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in South Carolina than Missouri?

On average South Carolina is around 16% pricier than Missouri, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to South Carolina?

Budget about $21,818 for 3 months in South Carolina (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is South Carolina safe?

Missouri performs better than South Carolina across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in South Carolina compared to Missouri?

Missouri generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Carolina leads in adult obesity rate.

What's the weather like in South Carolina compared to Missouri?

The average high temperature in Columbia is 66°F, compared to 66°F in Columbia. Columbia receives around 46.3 in of rainfall per year, while Columbia gets 46.3 in.

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