Cost of living in Beaufort research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Beaufort is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in South Carolina, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Beaufort is 107, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Beaufort is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Beaufort ranks as the #81 cheapest in South Carolina out of 99.
Beaufort ranks as the #3,374 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Beaufort is $407,771.
The median income in Beaufort is $59,454.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Beaufort has an overall cost of living index of 107, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to South Carolina, Beaufort has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than South Carolina's index of 93.
The standard of living in Beaufort ranks as #81 most affordable out of the 99 places we measured in South Carolina. By definition, that implies Beaufort ranks as the #18 most expensive place in the Palmetto State.
For more reading on life in Beaufort, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Beaufort. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Beaufort is 105.
The Groceries index in Beaufort is 97.
The Health index in Beaufort is 101.
The Housing index in Beaufort is 115.
The Transportation index in Beaufort is 95.
The Utilities index in Beaufort is 93.
| Living Expense | Beaufort | South Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 107 | 93 | 100 | |
| Services | 105 | 102 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 97 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 101 | 92 | 100 | |
| Housing | 115 | 81 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 95 | 92 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 93 | 109 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in South Carolina, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Beaufort is $407,771.
The Median Rent in Beaufort is $1,061.
The Median Income in Beaufort is $59,454.
The Home Value To Income in Beaufort is 6.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Beaufort is 0.21x.
| Statistic | Beaufort | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $407,771 | $302,294 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,061 | $1,126 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $59,454 | $66,818 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 6.9x | 4.5x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.21x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
| Item | Beaufort | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.21 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $10.5 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $22.67 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.56 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $53.61 | $45.56 |
| Item | Beaufort | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.79 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.45 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.6 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.52 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $14.49 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.68 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.5 | $3.7 |
| Item | Beaufort | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $200.92 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $126.2 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $104.0 | $113.29 |
| Item | Beaufort | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.24 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $63.17 | $59.92 |
| Item | Beaufort | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $180.25 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $190.25 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Beaufort. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Summerville, SC has a cost of living index of 106, 1.0x Beaufort.
Hilton Head Island, SC has a cost of living index of 138, 1.3x Beaufort.
Bluffton, SC has a cost of living index of 123, 1.1x Beaufort.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Beaufort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summerville, SC | 51,262 | 106 | 1.0x |
| Hilton Head Island, SC | 37,805 | 138 | 1.3x |
| Bluffton, SC | 31,323 | 123 | 1.1x |
| Pooler, GA | 27,235 | 107 | 1.0x |
| Richmond Hill, GA | 17,408 | 108 | 1.0x |
| Port Royal, SC | 15,047 | 111 | 1.0x |
| Wilmington Island, GA | 14,457 | 110 | 1.0x |
| Port Wentworth, GA | 11,997 | 103 | 1.0x |
| Georgetown, GA | 11,606 | 99 | 0.9x |
| Hardeeville, SC | 9,293 | 120 | 1.1x |