Marion, SC Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Marion, SC Summary

Cost of living in Marion 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 Marion 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 Marion is 90, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Marion is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Marion ranks as the #19 cheapest in South Carolina out of 99.

  • Marion ranks as the #1,206 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Marion is $122,574.

  • The median income in Marion is $27,767.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
90
Marion's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Marion, SC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Marion has an overall cost of living index of 90, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to South Carolina, Marion has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than South Carolina's index of 93.

The standard of living in Marion ranks as #19 most affordable out of the 99 places we measured in South Carolina. By definition, that implies Marion ranks as the #80 most expensive place in the Palmetto State.

For more reading on life in Marion, check out:

19 out of 99
In South Carolina
1,206 out of 6,489
In America

Marion Cost Of Living Vs. South Carolina

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Marion. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Marion is 98.

  • The Groceries index in Marion is 100.

  • The Health index in Marion is 88.

  • The Housing index in Marion is 60.

  • The Transportation index in Marion is 82.

  • The Utilities index in Marion is 129.

Living Expense Marion South Carolina National Average
Overall 90 93 100
Services 98 102 100
Groceries 100 97 100
Health 88 92 100
Housing 60 81 100
Transportation 82 92 100
Utilities 129 109 100
For more reading on cost of living around South Carolina, check out:
Marion Cost of Living Vs. SC

Marion, 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 Marion is $122,574.

  • The Median Rent in Marion is $624.

  • The Median Income in Marion is $27,767.

  • The Home Value To Income in Marion is 4.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Marion is 0.27x.

Statistic Marion South Carolina United States
Median Home Value $122,574 $302,294 $303,400
Median Rent $624 $1,126 $1,348
Median Income $27,767 $66,818 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.4x 4.5x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.27x 0.2x 0.21x
$122,574
Median Home Value
$624
Median Rent
$27,767
Median Income

Marion, SC Costs By Category

Detailed Marion Services Costs Vs. South Carolina

Item Marion South Carolina
Shampoo $1.33 $1.28
Movie $12.93 $12.13
Bowling $24.33 $18
Haircut $20.75 $24.26
Beauty Salon $30.56 $45.56

Detailed Marion Groceries Costs Vs. South Carolina

Item Marion South Carolina
Ground Beef $6.15 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.67 $1.57
Milk $4.61 $4.67
Potatoes $5.5 $4.93
Pizza $10.35 $12.09
Beer $10.53 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.65 $3.7

Detailed Marion Health Costs Vs. South Carolina

Item Marion South Carolina
Optometrist $59.0 $125.68
Doctor $150.0 $135.78
Dentist $78.33 $113.29

Detailed Marion Transportation Costs Vs. South Carolina

Item Marion South Carolina
Gasoline $3.22 $3.46
Tire Balancing $32.03 $59.92

Detailed Marion Utilities Costs Vs. South Carolina

Item Marion South Carolina
All Electricity $290.58 $193.99
Phone $192.75 $192.25

Marion SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
3/10
Housing
4
Affordability
4
Diversity
8
Safety
2
Amenities
8
Education
6
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Marion

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Marion. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Florence, SC has a cost of living index of 96, 1.1x Marion.

  • Myrtle Beach, SC has a cost of living index of 107, 1.2x Marion.

  • Conway, SC has a cost of living index of 97, 1.1x Marion.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Marion
Florence, SC 40,205 96 1.1x
Myrtle Beach, SC 37,214 107 1.2x
Conway, SC 26,082 97 1.1x
Socastee, SC 24,629 96 1.1x
North Myrtle Beach, SC 19,343 110 1.2x
Red Hill, SC 16,480 101 1.1x
Laurinburg, NC 15,079 86 1.0x
Little River, SC 10,457 100 1.1x
Murrells Inlet, SC 10,087 111 1.2x
Hartsville, SC 7,422 91 1.0x

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