Florida vs South Carolina: cost of living
On a $75,000 salary, a single filer keeps about $254 more a month in South Carolina than in Florida after 2026 taxes, rent, electricity, gas, car insurance, health insurance and groceries. Median rent is 30% lower in South Carolina.
| A month, single filer on $75,000 | Florida | South Carolina | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-home pay | $5,133 | $4,854 | −$279 |
| Rent (median, incl. utilities the renter pays) | $1,812 | $1,272 | −$540 |
| Electricity (average home bill) | $165 | $165 | −$0 |
| Gas for 1,000 miles a month | $152 | $140 | −$12 |
| Car insurance, full coverage | $236 | $255 | +$19 |
| Health insurance, your share of a job plan (U.S. average) | $139 | $139 | +$0 |
| Groceries (U.S. average household) | $519 | $519 | +$0 |
| Left over after these | $2,109 | $2,364 | +$254 |
Sources: take-home pay from 2026 IRS brackets, SSA wage base and Tax Foundation state rates; rent from Census ACS; electricity from EIA; gas from AAA (1,000 miles at 27.2 mpg); car insurance from Insurify; groceries are the U.S. average household from BLS (2024) in both states. Each figure has its own date, shown on the linked page. Our calculation, a rough guide, not an exact budget.
Compare two states
Same salary in both states, single filer, 2026 taxes. Each cost is that state's average from its own source and date; groceries use the U.S. average in both. Electricity can be partly counted in gross rent. "I own a home" swaps rent for home insurance and property tax but leaves out the mortgage payment. Our calculation, a rough guide.
Common questions
Is it cheaper to live in Florida or South Carolina?
South Carolina, by the basics we track. On $75,000 a year, South Carolina leaves about $254 more a month ($3,054 a year) after 2026 taxes, median rent, electricity, gas, car insurance, health insurance and groceries (our calculation).
What salary in South Carolina equals $75,000 in Florida?
About $70,300 a year. At that salary a single filer in South Carolina keeps the same $2,109 a month after taxes and the same basics as $75,000 in Florida (our calculation).
How do taxes compare between Florida and South Carolina?
Florida has no income tax on wages and South Carolina has income tax from 3% to 6% (Tax Foundation, 2026). On $75,000, take-home pay is about $5,133 a month in Florida and $4,854 in South Carolina.
How much is rent in Florida vs South Carolina?
The median rent is $1,812 a month in Florida and $1,272 in South Carolina (Census ACS).
Planning the move itself? See the full monthly budget for Florida or South Carolina, and the take-home pay calculators for Florida and South Carolina.