Cost of Living Comparison Between Florence, SC and Gold Coast Cost of Living Comparison Between Florence, SC and Gold Coast

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,581 in Florence, SC versus $2,535 in Gold Coast.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,706 in Florence, SC versus $3,688 in Gold Coast.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,830 in Florence, SC versus $4,841 in Gold Coast.

Living in Florence, SC is roughly 2% more expensive than Gold Coast, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Florence, SC 93% above, Gold Coast 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.88 $14.88

$15.98 A$22.22

-6.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.1 $65.1

$97.6 A$136

-33.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 $11.04

$9.60 A$13.35

15.00%

Cappuccino

$5.32 $5.32

$3.51 A$4.88

51.57%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.60 A$3.61

-8.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.27 A$3.15

-10.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 $3.94

$6.68 A$9.29

-41.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 $6.05

$7.61 A$10.58

-20.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.45 A$2.01

-35.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.65 A$3.68

24.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$2.31 A$3.21

94.81%

Eggs

$5.56 $5.56

$4.60 A$6.39

20.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 $8.71

$7.13 A$9.91

22.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.24 $19.24

$9.02 A$12.54

113.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.08 $23.08

$12.59 A$17.50

83.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.51 A$4.88

28.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.80 A$3.89

-54.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.70 A$5.15

18.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.73 A$5.18

19.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.44 A$3.39

-12.30%

Onion (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.29 A$3.18

93.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.98 A$2.76

-0.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.38 A$3.31

-16.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.35 $6.35

$31.79 A$44.19

-80.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.96 $8.96

$14.51 A$20.17

-38.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$6.09 A$8.46

-71.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$6.44 A$8.96

-54.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.53 A$3.52

-20.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.8 A$73.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.03 $4.03

$2.07 A$2.87

94.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.39 A$1.93

69.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.38 $29.38

$33.76 A$46.92

-12.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.19 A$1.65

-26.89%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$29.2K $29.2K

$29.1K A$40.5K

0.19%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.9K $24.9K

$21.8K A$30.4K

14.23%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$180 $180

$217 A$302

-16.98%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$52.7 $52.7

$31.78 A$44.17

65.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 $70.4

$54.0 A$75.0

30.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.49 $42.49

$45.26 A$62.9

-6.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.09 A$15.42

Cinema Ticket

$11.84 $11.84

$13.17 A$18.30

-10.10%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,457 $1,457

$2,108 A$2,930

-30.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$7,032 A$9,775

231.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.96 $39.96

$61.3 A$85.2

-34.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.55 $29.55

$47.78 A$66.4

-38.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$91.2 A$127

14.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$121 A$169

-6.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 $768

$1,840 A$2,558

-58.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 $1,377

$1,315 A$1,828

4.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,025 $4,025

$2,561 A$3,559

57.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,196 $2,196

$2,065 A$2,870

6.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,540 $1,540

$7,780 A$10.8K

-80.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,553 $1,553

$5,023 A$6,981

-69.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,804 $2,804

$4,123 A$5,731

-31.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.54

-1.38%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Florence, SC: April 26, 2026

Last update for Gold Coast: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $768 in Florence, SC and $1,840 in Gold Coast. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gold Coast pays 47% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $65.0 in Florence, SC vs $98.0 in Gold Coast. Groceries flip the comparison at $424 vs $361, with Gold Coast cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Florence, SC vs Gold Coast: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gold Coast wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Florence, SC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gold Coast the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Gold Coast earns 47% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $768 in Florence, SC versus $1,840 in Gold Coast. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,457 in Florence, SC versus $2,108 in Gold Coast. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Gold Coast – a meal for two runs $98.0 versus $65.0 in Florence, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,535 in Gold Coast versus $2,581 in Florence, SC, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Gold Coast but tight or insufficient in Florence, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Gold Coast the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Florence, SC and Gold Coast are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Gold Coast gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Florence, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.