Moving to Oregon from South Carolina
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Carolina to Oregon — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Carolina to Oregon, you would find that Oregon is 0.2% cheaper than South Carolina. A $75,000 salary in South Carolina would need to be roughly $71,429 in Oregon to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from South Carolina to Oregon.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $71,429
To maintain the same standard of living in Oregon
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 4.8% less
Groceries
pay 9.2% less
Transportation
pay 16.2% more
Housing
pay 3.1% less
Childcare
pay 15.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 16.0% 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 Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from South Carolina to Oregon.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
South Carolina generally does better on safety, though Oregon leads in violent crime rate.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Oregon performs significantly better than South Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
South Carolina performs better than Oregon across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Oregon performs significantly better than South Carolina across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
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
Oregon generally does better on employment & economy, though South Carolina leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Oregon 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.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Columbia | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) | 52°/36°F (11°/2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 68°/45°F (20°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) | 80°/51°F (27°/11°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) | 54°/38°F (12°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Columbia | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) | 48°/35°F (8.7°/1.5°C) |
| Feb | 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) | 52°/35°F (10.9°/1.4°C) |
| Mar | 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) | 56°/37°F (13.6°/2.9°C) |
| Apr | 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) | 61°/40°F (16.2°/4.2°C) |
| May | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.1°C) |
| Jun | 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.6°C) |
| Jul | 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) | 82°/53°F (27.8°/11.7°C) |
| Aug | 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) | 82°/53°F (28.0°/11.6°C) |
| Sep | 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) | 77°/48°F (24.9°/9.1°C) |
| Oct | 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) | 64°/42°F (17.8°/5.7°C) |
| Nov | 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) | 53°/38°F (11.4°/3.6°C) |
| Dec | 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C) | 46°/34°F (7.9°/1.1°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Oregon than South Carolina?
Yes — Oregon is on average about 5% cheaper than South Carolina. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Oregon?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $17,857 in Oregon on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Oregon safe?
South Carolina generally does better on safety, though Oregon leads in violent crime rate.
How is healthcare in Oregon compared to South Carolina?
Oregon performs significantly better than South Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Oregon compared to South Carolina?
The average high temperature in Salem is 64°F, compared to 66°F in Columbia. Salem receives around 39.7 in of rainfall per year, while Columbia gets 46.3 in.
