Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Living in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina is about 7% cheaper than the national average, with a cost of living index of 93 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,971 a month, 2% above 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 54% of the area's $64,115 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.50
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,971
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$13.29
Combo meal
Electricity
15.76¢
per kWh · ~$142/mo
Car Insurance
$149/mo
$1,783/yr
Median Household Income
$64,115
54.2% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $1,783 in Hilton Head Island. Compare rates:
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Some prices above are regional estimates. Submit a receipt from a local store to help us show what Hilton Head Island residents actually pay.
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Avg rent $1,971/mo in Hilton Head Island. 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 - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026)
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
$3.79 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026)
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
$6.49 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026)
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
$4.99 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026)
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$3.49 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026)
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
$5.29 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026)
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
$5.72 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026)
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
$4.00 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026)
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
$1.69 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026)
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
$4.72 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026)
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
$9.49 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026)
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.42 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
$3.59 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026)
Apples (3 lb)
$5.20 estimate
$3.99 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026)
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
$1.79 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026)
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
$3.49 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026)
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.76 estimate
$3.79 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026)
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.94 estimate
$6.49 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026)
Cereal (family size)
$6.20 estimate
$5.00 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026)
Frozen Pizza
$8.65 estimate
$5.99 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026)
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility$1.99 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026) | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon)$3.79 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb)$6.49 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf)$4.99 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb)$3.49 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb)$5.29 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb)$5.72 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb)$4.00 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb)$1.69 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb)$4.72 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz)$9.49 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (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 | — | — | — | — | — | $3.72 | $5.42 | +45.7% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb)$3.59 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (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 - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.49 | $5.20 | +15.8% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb)$1.79 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head)$3.49 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (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 - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $5.54 | $7.76 | +40.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate$6.49 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.15 | $4.94 | +19.0% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate$5.00 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.79 | $6.20 | +29.4% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate$5.99 @ Kroger - Shelter Cove (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $6.31 | $8.65 | +37.1% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$13.29
Casual Dining
$24.63
Monthly Spend
$437.46
+5.41% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $8.36
$13.49
+61.4%Wendy's
2022: $9.44
$14.57
+54.3%Chipotle
2022: $10.12
$15.11
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $4.58
$6.36
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Hilton Head Island?
Average 1BR: $1,616/mo · 2BR: $2,326/mo
Hilton Head Island Cost of Living FAQ
Is Hilton Head Island, SC expensive to live in?
Hilton Head Island has a cost of living index of 93, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 7% cheaper than average. It is the 5th most affordable of the 11 South Carolina cities we track.
What is the average rent in Hilton Head Island, SC?
Typical rent in Hilton Head Island is $1,971 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 2% above the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,616 and two bedrooms about $2,326. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Hilton Head Island?
Rent in Hilton Head Island rose 0.6% over the past year, slower than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Hilton Head Island?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.50 a gallon in Hilton Head Island 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 Hilton Head Island?
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 Hilton Head Island is about $142.
How much is car insurance in Hilton Head Island?
Full coverage car insurance averages $1,783 a year in South Carolina, or about $149 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Hilton Head Island?
Median household income in the Hilton Head Island area is $64,115 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $34,736 a year, or 54% 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 Hilton Head Island compare with the rest of South Carolina?
Rent in Hilton Head Island is 27% above the $1,548 average across the 11 South Carolina cities we track, and its cost of living index of 93 compares with a state average of 92.
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