What is the cost of living in Garden City, SC?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Garden City has an overall cost of living index of 97, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to South Carolina, Garden City has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than South Carolina's index of 92.
The standard of living in Garden City ranks as #51 most affordable out of the 98 places we measured in South Carolina. By definition, that implies Garden City ranks as the #47 most expensive place in the Palmetto State.
For more reading on life in Garden City, check out:
Garden City Cost Of Living Vs. South Carolina
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Garden City. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Garden City is 98.
The Groceries index in Garden City is 96.
The Health index in Garden City is 94.
The Housing index in Garden City is 98.
The Transportation index in Garden City is 102.
The Utilities index in Garden City is 99.
| Living Expense | Garden City | South Carolina | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 97 | 92 | 100 |
| Services | 98 | 97 | 100 |
| Groceries | 96 | 96 | 100 |
| Health | 94 | 82 | 100 |
| Housing | 98 | 101 | 100 |
| Transportation | 102 | 101 | 100 |
| Utilities | 99 | 97 | 100 |
Garden City Cost Of Living Compared To South Carolina Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around South Carolina, check out:
- Most Expensive Cities In South Carolina
- Most Affordable Cities In South Carolina
- Average Rent In South Carolina
Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Garden City, 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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Garden City is $255,242.
The Median Rent in Garden City is $1,472.
The Median Income in Garden City is $47,249.
The Home Value To Income in Garden City is 5.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Garden City is 0.37x.
| Statistic | Garden City | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $255,242 | $304,083 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,472 | $1,180 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $47,249 | $69,324 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.4x | 4.4x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.37x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Garden City, SC Costs By Category
Detailed Garden City Services costs vs. South Carolina
| Item | Garden City | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.38 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $11.3 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $19.43 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.38 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $56.15 | $45.56 |
Detailed Garden City Groceries costs vs. South Carolina
| Item | Garden City | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.22 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.67 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.59 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.51 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.83 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.61 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.77 | $3.7 |
Detailed Garden City Health costs vs. South Carolina
| Item | Garden City | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $78.1 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $137.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $97.17 | $113.29 |
Detailed Garden City Transportation costs vs. South Carolina
| Item | Garden City | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.18 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $46.64 | $59.92 |
Detailed Garden City Utilities costs vs. South Carolina
| Item | Garden City | South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $258.5 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $194.25 | $192.25 |
