Cost of Living in Columbia, SC
Columbia, SC — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in Columbia, SC to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
How expensive is Columbia, SC?
With a price level of 93.7 (U.S. average = 100), Columbia, SC is cheaper than average. In detail, housing costs are 21% below average; everyday goods are 4% below average; utilities are 12% below average; other services such as healthcare and dining are 2% below average. The biggest difference from the national average is in housing.
Prices in Columbia, SC vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Index (U.S. = 100) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 93.7 | −6.3% |
| Housing | 79.5 | −20.5% |
| Goods | 96.3 | −3.7% |
| Utilities | 88.3 | −11.7% |
| Other services | 98.3 | −1.7% |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Rent in Columbia, SC
| Unit | Monthly rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,017 | $40,680/yr |
| 1 bedroom | $1,139 | $45,560/yr |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,255 | $50,200/yr |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,591 | $63,640/yr |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,875 | $75,000/yr |
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026, population-weighted across the metro's counties.
Salary needed to live in Columbia, SC
To keep the same standard of living as in an average-priced U.S. city, you would need to earn roughly:
| Salary in an average U.S. city | Equivalent in Columbia, SC | Take-home here |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $37,500 | $31,218 |
| $60,000 | $56,200 | $45,122 |
| $80,000 | $74,900 | $58,185 |
| $100,000 | $93,700 | $70,283 |
| $150,000 | $140,500 | $100,025 |
Scaled by the BEA price level (pre-tax). Take-home: single filer, South Carolina 2026 taxes. For a tax-aware comparison with a specific city, use the calculator above.
A monthly budget on the median wage
A single worker earning Columbia, SC's median wage of $46,430 takes home about $3,155 a month. A typical one-bedroom rents for $1,139, which is 36% of take-home pay — above the 30% guideline that financial planners suggest. That leaves about $2,016 a month for everything else.
Take-home pay in Columbia, SC
- Federal income tax$3,392
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,879
- Medicare (1.45%)$673
- South Carolina income tax$1,629
- Take-home pay$37,858
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
Highest-paying jobs in Columbia, SC
*In U.S.-average dollars after adjusting for local prices.
Pay and living costs in South Carolina cities
Half of South Carolina’s 2,305,080 workers earn less than $46,490 a year and half earn more; the middle 50% earn $34,630–$70,340 (BLS, May 2025). Prices vary a lot within the state: Spartanburg, SC stretches a paycheck furthest, while Myrtle Beach, SC is the costliest.
| Metro area | Median pay | Price level | 1-BR rent | Rent share | Left after rent / mo | Buying power* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC | $49,990 | 97.3 | $1,428 | 42% | $1,947 | $41,608 |
| Greenville, SC | $46,580 | 93.3 | $1,155 | 37% | $2,009 | $40,713 |
| Columbia, SC | $46,430 | 93.7 | $1,139 | 36% | $2,016 | $40,420 |
| Charleston, SC | $49,150 | 101.0 | $1,630 | 49% | $1,693 | $39,500 |
| Augusta, GA | $45,990 | 91.9 | $1,110 | 35% | $2,018 | $40,837 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $47,650 | 91.1 | $1,061 | 33% | $2,169 | $42,575 |
| Myrtle Beach, SC | $37,930 | 93.6 | $1,229 | 47% | $1,399 | $33,679 |
| Florence, SC | $43,520 | 86.8 | $922 | 31% | $2,053 | $41,135 |
| Hilton Head Island, SC | $43,850 | 98.0 | $1,623 | 54% | $1,372 | $36,667 |
| Sumter, SC | $42,890 | 88.0 | $972 | 33% | $1,963 | $40,020 |
*Yearly take-home pay (on each metro’s median wage, single filer) in U.S.-average dollars. Price level: BEA RPP 2024 (U.S. = 100). Rent: HUD FY2026 one-bedroom fair market rent.
Columbia, SC vs. similar-size cities
| Metro area | Price level | 1-BR rent | Median wage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, SC | 93.7 | $1,139 | $46,430 | 394,200 |
| Boise City, ID | 98.4 | $1,369 | $49,100 | 391,790 |
| Tucson, AZ | 96.9 | $1,081 | $47,760 | 389,630 |
| Des Moines, IA | 91.7 | $1,092 | $51,820 | 404,130 |
| Bridgeport, CT | 106.9 | $2,100 | $61,470 | 404,180 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 95.5 | $1,185 | $48,060 | 404,700 |
| Madison, WI | 97.3 | $1,377 | $58,080 | 408,070 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Columbia, SC expensive to live in?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall prices in the Columbia, SC metro area are 93.7% of the U.S. average, with housing at 79.5%. It is the #190 most expensive of 387 metro areas we track.
What salary do you need to live in Columbia, SC?
To match the buying power of a $60,000 salary in an average-priced U.S. city you would need about $56,197 in Columbia, SC (before tax differences). The median wage across all jobs here is $46,430.
Can you afford Columbia, SC on the median wage?
A single worker on the $46,430 median wage takes home about $3,155 a month after 2026 taxes; a one-bedroom at $1,139 would take 36% of that.
How much is rent in Columbia, SC?
HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for Columbia, SC are $1,017 for a studio, $1,139 for one bedroom, $1,255 for two bedrooms and $1,591 for three bedrooms, including utilities.
Top salaries by field in Columbia, SC
Management Occupations
- General and Operations Manager — $103,950
Business and Financial Operations Occupations
- Management Analyst — $93,250
- Project Management Specialist — $85,260
- Accountant and Auditor — $69,210
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $60,280
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education — $60,050
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $59,400
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary — $27,860
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- Registered Nurse — $81,920
Healthcare Support Occupations
- Nursing Assistant — $37,400
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $30,210
Protective Service Occupations
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer — $59,260
- Security Guard — $35,140
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $37,880
- Cooks, Restaurant — $35,490
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,170
- Waiter and Waitress — $17,810
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
Sales and Related Occupations
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products — $62,470
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel — $48,570
- First-Line Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers — $47,680
- Retail Salesperson — $29,540
- Cashier — $27,830
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $62,230
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $46,690
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive — $45,620
- Office Clerks, General — $38,320
- Customer Service Representative — $37,430
Construction and Extraction Occupations
- Construction Laborer — $42,630
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
- Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic — $48,080
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General — $46,870
Production Occupations
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $42,230
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $51,280
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $37,530
- Stocker and Order Filler — $37,180