Moving to South Carolina from United States
What to Expect
Considering a move from United States to South Carolina? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from United States to South Carolina, you would find that South Carolina is 5.9% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly $62,046 in South Carolina to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between United States and South Carolina.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $62,046
To maintain the same standard of living in South Carolina
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.2% more
Groceries
pay 3.3% more
Transportation
pay 12.5% less
Housing
pay 4.4% less
Childcare
pay 10.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 14.9% less
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
The numbers behind daily life in South Carolina compared to United States.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
South Carolina performs significantly better than United States across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
United States performs 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
share of people below the poverty line
United States generally does better on employment & economy, though South Carolina leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
United States performs better than South Carolina across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Washington | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in South Carolina than United States?
On average South Carolina is about 17% less expensive than United States, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to South Carolina?
Budget about $15,512 for 3 months in South Carolina (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Carolina?
From major South Carolina cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in United States and South Carolina are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in South Carolina compared to United States?
South Carolina performs significantly better than United States across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in South Carolina compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Columbia is 66°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Columbia receives around 46.3 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in South Carolina?
Both United States and South Carolina share the same official language: English.
