Columbia, SC Cost Of Living
Columbia's Overall Cost Of Living
Lower Than The National Average
In South Carolina
In America
What is the cost of living in Columbia, SC?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Columbia has an overall cost of living index of 98 which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to only South Carolina, Columbia has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than South Carolina's index of 93.
The standard of living in Columbia ranks as #2,890 most affordable out of the 6,418 places we measured in South Carolina. By definition, that implies Columbia ranks as the #3,528 most expensive place in the Palmetto State.
Columbia Cost Of Living Vs. South Carolina
| Living Expense | Columbia | South Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 98 | 93 | 100 | |
| Services | 95 | 98 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 105 | 105 | 100 | |
| Health | 71 | 95 | 100 | |
| Housing | 91 | 80 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 85 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 129 | 105 | 100 | |
Columbia, SC Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in South Carolina, so we broke down the statistics around housing costs into more detail. It's also important to consider median household incomes to make apples-to-apples comparisons across locations.
Home and income come data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2014-2018.
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
| Statistic | Columbia | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $186,000 | $170,100 | $229,800 |
| Median Rent | $956 | $918 | $1,096 |
| Median Income | $47,416 | $54,864 | $64,994 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.9x | 3.1x | 3.5x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.24x | 0.2x | 0.2x |
Detailed Columbia Services Costs Vs. South Carolina
| Item | Columbia | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.01 | $1.06 |
| Movie | $11.12 | $10.68 |
| Bowling | $13.83 | $14.67 |
Detailed Columbia Groceries Costs Vs. South Carolina
| Item | Columbia | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $4.57 | $4.22 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.4 | $1.39 |
| Milk | $2.19 | $2.05 |
Detailed Columbia Health Costs Vs. South Carolina
| Item | Columbia | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Haircut | $14.0 | $18.62 |
| Beauty Salon | $41.63 | $39.05 |
| Toothpaste | $2.26 | $2.34 |
Detailed Columbia Transportation Costs Vs. South Carolina
| Item | Columbia | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Potatoes | $3.78 | $3.29 |
| Pizza | $10.72 | $10.62 |
| Beer | $10.3 | $9.38 |
| Optometrist | $51.67 | $108.57 |
| Doctor | $102.0 | $116.17 |
| Dentist | $59.0 | $99.13 |
Detailed Columbia Utilities Costs Vs. South Carolina
| Item | Columbia | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $2.0 | $2.22 |
| Tire Balancing | $40.0 | $50.07 |
| All Electricity | $248.45 | $167.67 |
| Phone | $185.81 | $175.64 |
Columbia SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Columbia
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington, SC | 21,847 | 99 | 1.0x |
| St. Andrews, SC | 21,355 | 87 | 0.9x |
| West Columbia, SC | 17,782 | 94 | 1.0x |
| Seven Oaks, SC | 16,743 | 92 | 0.9x |
| Dentsville, SC | 15,537 | 88 | 0.9x |
| Cayce, SC | 13,964 | 90 | 0.9x |
| Irmo, SC | 12,397 | 94 | 1.0x |
| Oak Grove, SC | 12,040 | 93 | 0.9x |
| Forest Acres, SC | 10,300 | 99 | 1.0x |
| Woodfield, SC | 9,361 | 90 | 0.9x |
