Columbia, South Carolina
Living in Columbia, South Carolina is about 18% cheaper than the national average, with a cost of living index of 82 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,557 a month, 19% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $3.50 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 49% of the area's $61,699 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.50
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,557
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$10.23
Combo meal
Electricity
15.76¢
per kWh · ~$142/mo
Car Insurance
$182/mo
$2,180/yr
Median Household Income
$61,699
48.9% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $2,180 in Columbia. Compare rates:
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Avg rent $1,557/mo in Columbia. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
$1.99 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026)
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
$2.79 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026)
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
$6.49 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026)
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
$4.99 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026)
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$3.49 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026)
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
$4.99 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026)
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
$5.32 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026)
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
$4.00 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026)
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
$1.69 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026)
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
$4.72 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026)
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
$9.19 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026)
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.20 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
$3.59 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026)
Apples (3 lb)
$4.60 estimate
$3.99 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026)
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
$1.79 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026)
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
$3.49 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026)
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.69 estimate
$3.79 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026)
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.69 estimate
$6.49 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026)
Cereal (family size)
$5.93 estimate
$5.00 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026)
Frozen Pizza
$7.74 estimate
$5.99 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026)
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility$1.99 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026) | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon)$2.79 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb)$6.49 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf)$4.99 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb)$3.49 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb)$4.99 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb)$5.32 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb)$4.00 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb)$1.69 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb)$4.72 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz)$9.19 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.42 | $5.20 | +52.0% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb)$3.59 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate$3.99 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.05 | $4.60 | +13.6% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb)$1.79 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head)$3.49 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate$3.79 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $5.21 | $7.69 | +47.6% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate$6.49 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $3.90 | $4.69 | +20.3% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate$5.00 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.41 | $5.93 | +34.5% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate$5.99 @ Kroger - Forest Acres (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $5.70 | $7.74 | +35.8% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$10.23
Casual Dining
$19.68
Monthly Spend
$340.94
+3.48% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $6.34
$10.23
+61.4%Wendy's
2022: $7.16
$11.05
+54.3%Chipotle
2022: $7.67
$11.46
+49.4%Starbucks
2022: $3.77
$5.24
+39.0%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Columbia?
Average 1BR: $1,277/mo · 2BR: $1,837/mo
Local Workforce
2024 · BLS QCEWTotal Jobs
228k
Median Weekly Pay
$1,207
$63k/yr
Top Sector
Education & Health Services
Household vs Worker Pay
$62k
household median
Employment by Sector — Columbia
% of local workforce · avg weekly wage · 5-year growth trend
~$65k/yr
~$71k/yr
~$53k/yr
~$83k/yr
~$23k/yr
Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual · County FIPS 45079
Highest Paying Sector
Financial Activities
$1,600/wk · $83k/yr
Most Workers (lowest wage)
Leisure & Hospitality
$441/wk · $23k/yr
Columbia Cost of Living FAQ
Is Columbia, SC expensive to live in?
Columbia has a cost of living index of 82, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 18% cheaper than average. It is the most affordable of the 11 South Carolina cities we track.
What is the average rent in Columbia, SC?
Typical rent in Columbia is $1,557 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 19% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,277 and two bedrooms about $1,837. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Columbia?
Rent in Columbia rose 2.2% over the past year, slower than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Columbia?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.50 a gallon in Columbia as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for South Carolina. That is 12% below the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Columbia?
Homes in South Carolina pay an average of 15.8 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Columbia is about $142.
How much is car insurance in Columbia?
Full coverage car insurance averages $2,180 a year in South Carolina, or about $182 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Columbia?
Median household income in the Columbia area is $61,699 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $30,165 a year, or 49% of that income. Groceries are counted at $5,502 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Columbia compare with the rest of South Carolina?
Rent in Columbia is about the same as the $1,548 average across the 11 South Carolina cities we track, and its cost of living index of 82 compares with a state average of 92.
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