Moving to South Carolina from Pennsylvania
What to Expect
Considering a move from Pennsylvania to South Carolina? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Pennsylvania to South Carolina, you would find that South Carolina is 3.7% cheaper than Pennsylvania. A $75,000 salary in Pennsylvania would need to be roughly $75,718 in South Carolina to maintain the same lifestyle. A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Pennsylvania and South Carolina. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → $75,718 To maintain the same standard of living in South Carolina How key spending categories compare Restaurants pay 9.0% more Groceries pay 0.8% less Transportation pay 11.8% less Housing pay 6.0% more Childcare pay 14.3% less Entertainment and Sports pay 12.0% less Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources. The numbers behind daily life in South Carolina compared to Pennsylvania. incidents per 100,000 people per year incidents per 100,000 people per year Pennsylvania performs better than South Carolina across all safety metrics. share of people without health insurance share of adults with obesity share of adults with diabetes share of adults who smoke Pennsylvania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Carolina leads in adult smoking rate. typical price of a home typical monthly gross rent share of homes that are owner-occupied South Carolina performs significantly better than Pennsylvania across all what about housing? metrics. share of households with internet minutes each way to work Pennsylvania generally does better on infrastructure, though South Carolina leads in average commute. percentage of the labour force without work a broad measure of economic output per person typical annual income of a household share of people below the poverty line Pennsylvania performs better than South Carolina across all employment & economy metrics. average years of life at birth share of adults with a 4-year college degree Pennsylvania 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) Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: South Carolina and Pennsylvania are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way. Budget about $18,930 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. Pennsylvania performs better than South Carolina across all safety metrics. Pennsylvania generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Carolina leads in adult smoking rate. The average high temperature in Columbia is 66°F, compared to 61°F in Harrisburg. Columbia receives around 46.3 in of rainfall per year, while Harrisburg gets 43.6 in. How Far Will Your Money Go?
Key Indicator Comparison
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Harrisburg Columbia Jan–Mar 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C) 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) Apr–Jun 71°/50°F (22°/10°C) 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) Jul–Sep 81°/61°F (27°/16°C) 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) Oct–Dec 52°/34°F (11°/1°C) 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) View all months
Month Harrisburg Columbia Jan 36°/21°F (2.5°/-5.9°C) 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) Feb 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.1°C) 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) Mar 49°/30°F (9.3°/-0.9°C) 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) Apr 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C) 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) May 72°/50°F (22.2°/10.1°C) 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) Jun 81°/60°F (27.2°/15.5°C) 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) Jul 85°/64°F (29.2°/17.8°C) 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) Aug 83°/63°F (28.2°/17.0°C) 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) Sep 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.8°C) 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) Oct 63°/42°F (17.4°/5.6°C) 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) Nov 52°/35°F (11.1°/1.6°C) 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) Dec 40°/26°F (4.4°/-3.2°C) 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C) 
National Weather Service Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in South Carolina than Pennsylvania?
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Is South Carolina safe?
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What's the weather like in South Carolina compared to Pennsylvania?
