Moving to Texas from South Carolina
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from South Carolina to Texas — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from South Carolina to Texas, you would find that Texas is 0.5% more expensive than South Carolina. A $75,000 salary in South Carolina would need to be roughly $69,665 in Texas to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Austin averages 79°F vs 66°F in Columbia, making it significantly warmer. What to expect for your wallet after moving from South Carolina to Texas. What does your salary buy? $75,000 → $69,665 To maintain the same standard of living in Texas Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day Restaurants pay 4.4% less Groceries pay 13.8% less Transportation pay 11.5% more Housing pay 2.2% less Childcare pay 3.9% less Entertainment and Sports pay 8.3% 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 Texas. incidents per 100,000 people per year incidents per 100,000 people per year South Carolina generally does better on safety, though Texas leads in violent crime rate. 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 Texas 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 Texas across all what about housing? metrics. share of households with internet minutes each way to work South Carolina generally does better on infrastructure, though Texas 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 Texas 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 South Carolina generally does better on family life, though Texas leads in life expectancy. 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: Yes — Texas is on average about 7% cheaper than South Carolina. City-level variation can be significant. Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $17,416 in Texas on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit). South Carolina generally does better on safety, though Texas leads in violent crime rate. South Carolina generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Texas leads in adult smoking rate. The average high temperature in Austin is 79°F, compared to 66°F in Columbia. Austin receives around 36.2 in of rainfall per year, while Columbia gets 46.3 in. How Far Will Your Money Go?
Key Indicator Comparison
Is it safe?
How's the healthcare?
What about housing?
Will I have good infrastructure?
What are the job prospects?
Is it good for families?
What's the Climate Like?
Months Columbia Austin Jan–Mar 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) 65°/40°F (18°/5°C) Apr–Jun 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) Jul–Sep 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) 93°/70°F (34°/21°C) Oct–Dec 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) View all months
Month Columbia Austin Jan 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) 61°/37°F (15.9°/2.9°C) Feb 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) 64°/39°F (17.6°/3.8°C) Mar 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) 71°/45°F (21.6°/7.4°C) Apr 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) 79°/55°F (25.9°/12.8°C) May 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) 85°/64°F (29.7°/17.7°C) Jun 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) 91°/70°F (32.8°/21.0°C) Jul 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) 94°/72°F (34.7°/22.3°C) Aug 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) 96°/72°F (35.4°/22.1°C) Sep 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) 90°/67°F (32.3°/19.2°C) Oct 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) 81°/57°F (27.3°/13.7°C) Nov 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) 71°/47°F (21.4°/8.4°C) Dec 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C) 62°/38°F (16.5°/3.4°C) 
National Weather Service Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Texas than South Carolina?
How much money do I need to move to Texas?
Is Texas safe?
How is healthcare in Texas compared to South Carolina?
What's the weather like in Texas compared to South Carolina?
