Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Living in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is about 7% cheaper than the national average, with a cost of living index of 93 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,722 a month, 11% 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 50% of the area's $64,115 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.50
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,722
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
49.5% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $1,783 in Myrtle Beach. Compare rates:
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Avg rent $1,722/mo in Myrtle Beach. 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 - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026)
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
$2.69 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026)
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
$6.49 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026)
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
$4.99 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026)
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$3.49 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026)
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
$4.99 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026)
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
$5.99 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026)
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
$4.00 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026)
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
$1.69 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026)
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
$4.72 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026)
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
$9.19 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (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 - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026)
Apples (3 lb)
$5.20 estimate
$3.99 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026)
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
$1.79 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026)
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
$3.49 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026)
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.76 estimate
$3.79 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026)
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.94 estimate
$6.49 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026)
Cereal (family size)
$6.20 estimate
$5.00 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026)
Frozen Pizza
$8.65 estimate
$5.99 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026)
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility$1.99 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026) | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon)$2.69 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb)$6.49 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf)$4.99 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb)$3.49 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb)$4.99 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb)$5.99 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb)$4.00 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb)$1.69 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb)$4.72 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz)$9.19 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (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 - Carolina Forest Plaza (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 - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.49 | $5.20 | +15.8% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb)$1.79 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head)$3.49 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (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 - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $5.54 | $7.76 | +40.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate$6.49 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.15 | $4.94 | +19.0% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate$5.00 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.79 | $6.20 | +29.4% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate$5.99 @ Kroger - Carolina Forest Plaza (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 Myrtle Beach?
Average 1BR: $1,412/mo · 2BR: $2,032/mo
Myrtle Beach Cost of Living FAQ
Is Myrtle Beach, SC expensive to live in?
Myrtle Beach 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 3rd most affordable of the 11 South Carolina cities we track.
What is the average rent in Myrtle Beach, SC?
Typical rent in Myrtle Beach is $1,722 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 11% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,412 and two bedrooms about $2,032. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Myrtle Beach?
Rent in Myrtle Beach rose 2.3% over the past year, slower than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Myrtle Beach?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.50 a gallon in Myrtle Beach 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 Myrtle Beach?
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 Myrtle Beach is about $142.
How much is car insurance in Myrtle Beach?
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 Myrtle Beach?
Median household income in the Myrtle Beach area is $64,115 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $31,748 a year, or 50% 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 Myrtle Beach compare with the rest of South Carolina?
Rent in Myrtle Beach is 11% 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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