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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,568 in Gold Coast versus $2,558 in Florence, SC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,645 in Gold Coast versus $3,744 in Florence, SC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,722 in Gold Coast versus $4,931 in Florence, SC.

Monthly costs are close between Gold Coast and Florence, SC; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gold Coast 92% above, Florence, SC 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.45 A$23.55

$15.18 $15.18

8.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.6 A$138

$65.1 $65.1

48.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.57 A$13.70

$11.14 $11.14

-14.09%

Cappuccino

$3.48 A$4.98

$5.14 $5.14

-32.30%

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

$2.58 A$3.69

$2.38 $2.38

8.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 A$3.20

$2.04 $2.04

9.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.35 A$9.09

$4.05 $4.05

56.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 A$11.12

$6.12 $6.12

26.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 A$2.05

$0.91 $0.91

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 A$3.80

$3.22 $3.22

-17.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 A$3.35

$4.53 $4.53

-48.34%

Eggs

$4.75 A$6.80

$5.63 $5.63

-15.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.25 A$10.37

$8.77 $8.77

-17.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.99 A$12.87

$19.46 $19.46

-53.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.51 A$17.90

$22.54 $22.54

-44.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 A$5.04

$4.38 $4.38

-19.63%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.84

$1.27 $1.27

111.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.74 A$5.35

$4.48 $4.48

-16.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.72 A$5.32

$4.33 $4.33

-14.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.36 A$3.38

$2.18 $2.18

8.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 A$3.43

$4.50 $4.50

-46.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 A$2.84

$1.95 $1.95

1.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 A$3.37

$2.04 $2.04

15.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.11 A$45.97

$6.34 $6.34

406.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.36 A$20.57

$14.69 $14.69

-2.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$6.41 A$9.18

$1.75 $1.75

266.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 A$9.74

$3.09 $3.09

120.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.66 A$3.81

$2.01 $2.01

32.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.2 A$74.7

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 A$2.83

$4.03 $4.03

-51.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 A$2.07

$2.27 $2.27

-36.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.49 A$47.94

$29.50 $29.50

13.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 A$1.70

$0.82 $0.82

45.12%

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

$28.9K A$41.3K

$28.7K $28.7K

0.74%

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

$22.3K A$32.0K

$24.9K $24.9K

-10.44%

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

$220 A$315

$182 $182

20.86%

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

$31.92 A$45.70

$54.5 $54.5

-41.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 A$79.7

$69.6 $69.6

-20.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.83 A$64.2

$42.52 $42.52

5.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.11 A$15.91

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 A$18.50

$12.07 $12.07

7.04%

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

$2,140 A$3,064

$1,460 $1,460

46.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,226 A$10.3K

$23.8K $23.8K

-69.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 A$89.3

$40.18 $40.18

55.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.89 A$68.6

$30.15 $30.15

58.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 A$129

$102 $102

-11.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 A$175

$112 $112

9.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,807 A$2,587

$780 $780

131.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 A$1,886

$1,363 $1,363

-3.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,595 A$3,715

$3,983 $3,983

-34.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 A$2,903

$2,265 $2,265

-10.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,247 A$13.2K

$1,557 $1,557

493.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,366 A$9,114

$1,553 $1,553

309.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,146 A$5,935

$3,089 $3,089

34.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.45

1.40%

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

Last update for Gold Coast: July 11, 2026

Last update for Florence, SC: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,807 in Gold Coast and $780 in Florence, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gold Coast pays 34% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $97.0 in Gold Coast vs $65.0 in Florence, SC. Groceries flip the comparison at $363 vs $434, 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

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

Average pay runs 34% higher in Gold Coast, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,807 in Gold Coast versus $780 in Florence, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Gold Coast pay roughly 20% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Florence, SC – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $97.0 in Gold Coast. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,558 in Florence, SC versus $2,568 in Gold Coast, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Florence, SC but tight or insufficient in Gold Coast. The gap between the two cities makes Florence, SC 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, Gold Coast and Florence, SC are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Florence, SC wins on affordability, Gold Coast on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.