Moving to Missouri from South Carolina

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from South Carolina to Missouri — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from South Carolina to Missouri, you would find that Missouri is 3.3% cheaper than South Carolina. A $75,000 salary in South Carolina would need to be roughly $64,453 in Missouri to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from South Carolina to Missouri.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $64,453

To maintain the same standard of living in Missouri

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 12.4% less

Groceries

pay 9.4% less

Transportation

pay 31.5% more

Housing

pay 14.7% less

Childcare

pay 12.6% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 2.3% less

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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Carolina to Missouri.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

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

incidents per 100,000 people per year

SC
2116
MO
2070

Missouri performs significantly 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

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

share of adults with obesity

SC
35.4%
MO
37.5%

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

What about housing?

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

typical price of a home

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

typical monthly gross rent

SC
$1,126
MO
$996

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

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

minutes each way to work

SC
26 min
MO
24 min

Missouri performs significantly 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

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

a broad measure of economic output per person

SC
$49,914
MO
$56,344

Missouri performs significantly 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

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

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

SC
20%
MO
22%

Missouri 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)

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 Missouri than South Carolina?

Yes — Missouri is on average about 14% cheaper than South Carolina. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Missouri?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $16,113 in Missouri on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Missouri safe?

Missouri performs significantly better than South Carolina across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Missouri compared to South Carolina?

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

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

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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