Moving to Florida from South Carolina
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Carolina to Florida — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Carolina to Florida, you would find that Florida is 2.8% more expensive than South Carolina. A $75,000 salary in South Carolina would need to be roughly $79,007 in Florida to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Tallahassee averages 80°F vs 66°F in Columbia, making it significantly warmer. What to expect for your wallet after moving from South Carolina to Florida. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → $79,007 To maintain the same standard of living in Florida Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day Restaurants pay 1.8% more Groceries pay 2.0% less Transportation pay 9.2% more Housing pay 12.2% more Childcare pay 14.7% less Entertainment and Sports pay 9.3% more 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 indicators for anyone considering a move from South Carolina to Florida. incidents per 100,000 people per year incidents per 100,000 people per year Florida performs significantly 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 South Carolina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Florida leads in adult obesity rate. typical price of a home typical monthly gross rent share of homes that are owner-occupied South Carolina performs better than Florida across all what about housing? metrics. share of households with internet minutes each way to work South Carolina generally does better on infrastructure, though Florida leads in internet access. 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 Florida performs significantly better than South Carolina across all employment & economy metrics. average years of life at birth share of adults with a 4-year college degree Florida performs significantly 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: No — Florida is on average about 5% more expensive than South Carolina. City-level variation matters. Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $19,752 in Florida on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit). Florida performs significantly better than South Carolina across all safety metrics. South Carolina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Florida leads in adult obesity rate. The average high temperature in Tallahassee is 80°F, compared to 66°F in Columbia. Tallahassee receives around 59.2 in of rainfall per year, while Columbia gets 46.3 in. How Far Will Your Money Go?
Key Indicator Comparison
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What's the Climate Like?
Months Columbia Tallahassee Jan–Mar 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) 68°/43°F (20°/6°C) Apr–Jun 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) 86°/61°F (30°/16°C) Jul–Sep 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) 91°/71°F (33°/22°C) Oct–Dec 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) 73°/48°F (23°/9°C) View all months
Month Columbia Tallahassee Jan 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) 64°/39°F (17.5°/3.9°C) Feb 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) 67°/42°F (19.7°/5.5°C) Mar 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) 74°/47°F (23.2°/8.4°C) Apr 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) 80°/52°F (26.6°/11.3°C) May 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) 87°/62°F (30.6°/16.4°C) Jun 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) 91°/69°F (32.8°/20.8°C) Jul 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) 92°/72°F (33.4°/22.2°C) Aug 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) 92°/72°F (33.1°/22.3°C) Sep 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) 88°/68°F (31.3°/20.1°C) Oct 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) 81°/57°F (27.4°/14.1°C) Nov 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) 73°/47°F (22.8°/8.6°C) Dec 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C) 65°/41°F (18.5°/5.1°C) 
National Weather Service Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Florida than South Carolina?
How much money do I need to move to Florida?
Is Florida safe?
How is healthcare in Florida compared to South Carolina?
What's the weather like in Florida compared to South Carolina?
