City profile
Columbia, SC cost of living
SC · BLS RPP 93.6
Overall RPP
93.6
US = 100
Housing RPP
78.9
Housing component
Goods RPP
94.6
Goods component
2-BR Rent (HUD)
$1,246/mo
FY2024 FMR
Where Columbia, SC sits in the verified metro set
RPP rank
#53 of 67
-6.4 vs U.S. average
Vs median metro
-4.8
median RPP 98.4
2-BR rent rank
#53 of 67
-360/mo vs median verified metro
RPP ranks use only verified ReloMath metro records. Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2022 (Table 4); HUD FY2024 Fair Market Rents (2-BR); reviewed June 2026. These are official published averages, not neighborhood-level prices.
Who’s moving in and out of Columbia, SC
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Cost of living is only half the relocation question. The other half is which way people are actually voting with their feet, straight from IRS tax-return migration for the Columbia, SC metro.
Moved in
50,000
people · 26,758 households
Moved out
44,424
people · 24,722 households
Net
+5,576
net gain of residents
Net migration rank
#19 of 65
among IRS-covered ReloMath metros
Vs median net flow
+5,680
median -104 people
Largest flow share
2% in / 2% out
top named county shares
Where new residents came from
- Mecklenburg County, NC 950
- Orangeburg County, SC 913
- Sumter County, SC 901
- York County, SC 723
- Aiken County, SC 720
Where residents moved to
- Mecklenburg County, NC 969
- Greenville County, SC 887
- Aiken County, SC 870
- Charleston County, SC 681
- Sumter County, SC 680
Counts are IRS tax filers (returns ≈ households, individuals ≈ exemptions) who changed address between 2021-2022. Flows too small for IRS to disclose are grouped and excluded from the named lists. Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration data ↗, mapped to metros via the U.S. Census CBSA delineation.
What salary do you need in Columbia, SC?
Equivalent salary to maintain the same purchasing power as in a US-average city (RPP 100).
| In US-average city | You need in Columbia, SC | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $46,800 | $50,000 x (93.6/100) |
| $75,000 | $70,200 | $75,000 x (93.6/100) |
| $100,000 | $93,600 | $100,000 x (93.6/100) |
| $125,000 | $117,000 | $125,000 x (93.6/100) |
| $150,000 | $140,400 | $150,000 x (93.6/100) |
| $200,000 | $187,200 | $200,000 x (93.6/100) |
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
State income tax note
South Carolina income tax up to 6.5%.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Columbia, SC?
- Columbia, SC has a BLS Regional Price Parity of 93.6 (US average = 100). It is 6.4% less expensive than the national average.
- What salary do I need to live in Columbia, SC?
- If you earn $100,000 in a US-average city (RPP 100), you would need approximately $93,600 in Columbia, SC to maintain the same purchasing power.
- What is the average rent in Columbia, SC?
- The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Columbia, SC is approximately $1,246 per month as of FY2024.
- Are people moving to or away from Columbia, SC?
- Based on IRS tax-return migration data for 2021-2022, about 50,000 people moved into the Columbia, SC metro and 44,424 moved out — a net gain of roughly 5,576 residents. The largest single source of new residents was Mecklenburg County, NC.
Curated nearby & similar cities
Similar verified metros by RPP
These links are chosen by data proximity: closest overall RPP to Columbia, SC, with HUD 2-BR rent as a tie-breaker.
Curated cost-of-living comparisons for Columbia, SC
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