Moving to Pennsylvania from South Carolina
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from South Carolina to Pennsylvania — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from South Carolina to Pennsylvania, you would find that Pennsylvania is 6.9% more expensive than South Carolina. A $75,000 salary in South Carolina would need to be roughly $74,289 in Pennsylvania to maintain the same lifestyle. How your spending power changes when you relocate from South Carolina to Pennsylvania. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → $74,289 To maintain the same standard of living in Pennsylvania The biggest cost differences at a glance Restaurants pay 8.1% less Groceries pay 2.3% more Transportation pay 15.5% more Housing pay 5.2% less Childcare pay 25.5% more Entertainment and Sports pay 15.2% 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. How South Carolina and Pennsylvania stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure. incidents per 100,000 people per year incidents per 100,000 people per year Pennsylvania 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 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 better than Pennsylvania across all what about housing? metrics. share of households with internet minutes each way to work South Carolina generally does better on infrastructure, though Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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: Headline costs are within a few percent between Pennsylvania and South Carolina; rent and dining are where you'll actually feel differences. A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around $18,572 in Pennsylvania for everyday spending, before movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit. Pennsylvania performs significantly 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 Harrisburg is 61°F, compared to 66°F in Columbia. Harrisburg receives around 43.6 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 Harrisburg Jan–Mar 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C) Apr–Jun 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) 71°/50°F (22°/10°C) Jul–Sep 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) 81°/61°F (27°/16°C) Oct–Dec 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) 52°/34°F (11°/1°C) View all months
Month Columbia Harrisburg Jan 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) 36°/21°F (2.5°/-5.9°C) Feb 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.1°C) Mar 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) 49°/30°F (9.3°/-0.9°C) Apr 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) 61°/40°F (16.1°/4.6°C) May 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) 72°/50°F (22.2°/10.1°C) Jun 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) 81°/60°F (27.2°/15.5°C) Jul 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) 85°/64°F (29.2°/17.8°C) Aug 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) 83°/63°F (28.2°/17.0°C) Sep 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.8°C) Oct 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) 63°/42°F (17.4°/5.6°C) Nov 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) 52°/35°F (11.1°/1.6°C) Dec 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C) 40°/26°F (4.4°/-3.2°C) 
National Weather Service Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Pennsylvania than South Carolina?
How much money do I need to move to Pennsylvania?
Is Pennsylvania safe?
How is healthcare in Pennsylvania compared to South Carolina?
What's the weather like in Pennsylvania compared to South Carolina?
