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: $2,525 in Gold Coast versus $2,562 in Florence, SC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,668 in Gold Coast versus $3,747 in Florence, SC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,811 in Gold Coast versus $4,931 in Florence, SC.

Living in Gold Coast costs roughly 1% less than in Florence, SC, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gold Coast 88% above, Florence, SC 91% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.32 A$22.74

$14.72 $14.72

10.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.6 A$133

$66.2 $66.2

44.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.49 A$13.23

$10.98 $10.98

-13.57%

Cappuccino

$3.39 A$4.72

$5.08 $5.08

-33.27%

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

$2.64 A$3.68

$2.36 $2.36

11.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 A$3.20

$1.99 $1.99

15.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.53 A$9.09

$4.08 $4.08

60.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.70 A$10.74

$5.97 $5.97

28.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 A$2.07

$0.94 $0.94

58.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 A$3.62

$3.26 $3.26

-20.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 A$3.18

$4.43 $4.43

-48.53%

Eggs

$4.64 A$6.47

$5.51 $5.51

-15.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.20 A$10.04

$8.72 $8.72

-17.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.72 A$12.16

$18.85 $18.85

-53.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.15 A$16.94

$22.66 $22.66

-46.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 A$5.09

$4.38 $4.38

-16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 A$3.76

$1.29 $1.29

109.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.77 A$5.25

$4.37 $4.37

-13.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 A$5.37

$4.53 $4.53

-14.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 A$3.23

$2.23 $2.23

4.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 A$3.33

$4.35 $4.35

-45.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 A$2.76

$2.05 $2.05

-3.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 A$3.32

$1.94 $1.94

23.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$31.91 A$44.47

$6.47 $6.47

393.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 A$20.73

$16.95 $16.95

-12.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$6.36 A$8.86

$1.68 $1.68

278.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 A$9.12

$3.04 $3.04

115.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 A$3.52

$2.03 $2.03

24.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.0 A$72.5

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 A$2.83

$4.02 $4.02

-49.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 A$2.04

$2.31 $2.31

-36.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.94 A$47.29

$29.45 $29.45

15.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.60

$0.80 $0.80

43.75%

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

$28.8K A$40.2K

$29.1K $29.1K

-0.77%

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

$22.3K A$31.0K

$24.9K $24.9K

-10.38%

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

$217 A$303

$178 $178

22.44%

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

$31.82 A$44.34

$54.4 $54.4

-41.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.0 A$76.6

$71.1 $71.1

-22.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.67 A$63.7

$43.60 $43.60

4.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.30 A$15.75

Cinema Ticket

$13.09 A$18.24

$11.87 $11.87

10.28%

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

$2,121 A$2,956

$1,438 $1,438

47.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,115 A$9,914

$23.8K $23.8K

-70.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 A$85.1

$39.27 $39.27

55.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.61 A$67.7

$30.06 $30.06

61.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 A$125

$102 $102

-12.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 A$169

$112 $112

8.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,780 A$2,481

$764 $764

133.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 A$1,828

$1,337 $1,337

-1.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,586 A$3,604

$3,969 $3,969

-34.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 A$2,827

$2,227 $2,227

-8.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,622 A$9,228

$1,583 $1,583

318.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,425 A$6,167

$1,589 $1,589

178.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,388 A$6,115

$3,088 $3,088

42.11%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Florence, SC: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,780 in Gold Coast and $764 in Florence, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gold Coast pays 42% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $96.0 in Gold Coast vs $66.0 in Florence, SC. Groceries flip the comparison at $362 vs $435, 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

Gold Coast wins on cost – living expenses run 1% 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.

Gold Coast pays 42% more on average, 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: $1,780 in Gold Coast versus $764 in Florence, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,121 in Gold Coast versus $1,438 in Florence, SC. 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 $96.0 versus $66.0 in Florence, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,525 in Gold Coast versus $2,562 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, 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.

Expats usually find Gold Coast gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Florence, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.