Beaufort, SC Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Beaufort, SC Summary

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.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
107
Beaufort's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Beaufort, SC?

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:

81 out of 99
In South Carolina
3,374 out of 6,489
In America

Beaufort Cost Of Living Vs. South Carolina

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
For more reading on cost of living around South Carolina, check out:
Beaufort Cost of Living Vs. SC

Beaufort, SC Housing Cost Breakdown

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
$407,771
Median Home Value
$1,061
Median Rent
$59,454
Median Income

Beaufort, SC Costs By Category

Detailed Beaufort Services Costs Vs. South Carolina

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

Detailed Beaufort Groceries Costs Vs. South Carolina

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

Detailed Beaufort Health Costs Vs. South Carolina

Item Beaufort South Carolina
Optometrist $200.92 $125.68
Doctor $126.2 $135.78
Dentist $104.0 $113.29

Detailed Beaufort Transportation Costs Vs. South Carolina

Item Beaufort South Carolina
Gasoline $3.24 $3.46
Tire Balancing $63.17 $59.92

Detailed Beaufort Utilities Costs Vs. South Carolina

Item Beaufort South Carolina
All Electricity $180.25 $193.99
Phone $190.25 $192.25

Beaufort SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8
Affordability
5
Diversity
9
Safety
4
Amenities
7
Education
8.5
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Beaufort

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

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