Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hilton Head Island, SC and Topeka, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in Topeka, KS: $1,912 a month against $2,925 in Hilton Head Island, SC, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

142

Cost of Living Index in Hilton Head Island, SC
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Hilton Head Island, SC Living Index
91

Cost of Living Index in Topeka, KS
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Topeka, KS Living Index

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Hilton Head Island, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,925

/mo nomad

Topeka, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$1,912

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hilton Head Island, SC and in Topeka, KS

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hilton Head Island, SC and in Topeka, KS actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,925 per month in Hilton Head Island, SC vs $1,912 in Topeka, KS, rent included.

Hilton Head Island, SC $2,925
Topeka, KS $1,912

A couple spends around $2,687 per month in Hilton Head Island, SC vs $2,889 in Topeka, KS, rent included.

Hilton Head Island, SC $2,687
Topeka, KS $2,889

A family of three spends $2,449 per month in Hilton Head Island, SC vs $3,867 in Topeka, KS, rent included.

Hilton Head Island, SC $2,449
Topeka, KS $3,867

Hilton Head Island, SC costs about 53% more than Topeka, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Hilton Head Island, SC and Topeka, KS sit above the global median – Hilton Head Island, SC by 115%, Topeka, KS by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.92 $19.92

$13.68 $13.68

45.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 $60.1

$51.0 $51.0

17.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.29 $11.29

$10.09 $10.09

11.89%

Cappuccino

$4.97 $4.97

$3.59 $3.59

38.44%

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

$3.09 $3.09

$2.37 $2.37

30.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.71 $1.71

18.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$4.57 $4.57

7.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.07 $6.07

$9.15 $9.15

-33.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$0.86 $0.86

-17.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.74 $2.74

19.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.89 $2.89

27.68%

Eggs

$2.91 $2.91

$3.95 $3.95

-26.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 $8.72

$8.77 $8.77

-0.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 $9.56

$8.70 $8.70

9.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 $13.15

$15.10 $15.10

-12.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$4.73 $4.73

-2.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.65 $1.65

-11.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$5.20 $5.20

-25.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$4.11 $4.11

11.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$3.54 $3.54

-18.36%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.58 $2.58

19.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.82 $1.82

39.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.79 $0.79

207.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.05 $9.05

$8.83 $8.83

2.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$12.03 $12.03

25.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.81 $1.81

17.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.71 $1.71

83.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.63 $49.63

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.70 $2.70

-42.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.59 $1.59

-28.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.75 $13.75

$33.59 $33.59

-59.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$0.88 $0.88

6.82%

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

$31.2K $31.2K

$25.7K $25.7K

21.45%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.4K $26.4K

-1.88%

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

$216 $216

$142 $142

51.85%

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

$55.1 $55.1

$46.56 $46.56

18.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 $67.8

$64.7 $64.7

4.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.28 $20.28

$37.70 $37.70

-46.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.07 $15.07

Cinema Ticket

$14.54 $14.54

$13.74 $13.74

5.82%

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

$1,294 $1,294

$439 $439

194.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K $11.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.48 $34.48

$39.15 $39.15

-11.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.82 $34.82

$28.48 $28.48

22.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 $80.3

$90.3 $90.3

-11.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.4 $71.4

$79.6 $79.6

-10.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,151 $2,151

$699 $699

207.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,769 $1,769

$855 $855

106.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,272 $2,272

$1,210 $1,210

87.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,556 $1,556

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,619 $3,619

$1,600 $1,600

126.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,538 $3,538

$1,293 $1,293

173.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,451 $3,451

$3,678 $3,678

-6.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.24

6.41%

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

Last update for Hilton Head Island, SC: October 25, 2026

Last update for Topeka, KS: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Hilton Head Island, SC

$1.8K 60.5%

Topeka, KS

$855 44.7% 51.7% $914

Groceries & Markets

Hilton Head Island, SC

$351 12%

Topeka, KS

$323 16.9% 8.1% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hilton Head Island, SC

$339 11.6%

Topeka, KS

$254 13.3% 25.2% $85

Eating Out

Hilton Head Island, SC

$310 10.6%

Topeka, KS

$240 12.6% 22.5% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Hilton Head Island, SC

$99 3.4%

Topeka, KS

$107 5.6% 7.5% $7.4

Sport & Entertainment

Hilton Head Island, SC

$49 1.7%

Topeka, KS

$65 3.4% 32% $16

Getting Around

Hilton Head Island, SC

$7.2 * 0.3%

Topeka, KS

$68 3.6% 853% $61

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,151 in Hilton Head Island, SC versus $699 in Topeka, KS. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 7% higher in Topeka, KS, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Hilton Head Island, SC versus $51 in Topeka, KS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $351 vs $323 – making Topeka, KS the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Hilton Head Island, SC

🇺🇸 Topeka, KS

🕒 Local time

05:26 5:26 AM

04:26 4:26 AM

1 h behind Hilton Head Island, SC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

40,512

124,331

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Hilton Head Island, SC Topeka, KS 1,550 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Hilton Head Island, SC
Topeka, KS

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Hilton Head Island, SC vs Topeka, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hilton Head Island, SC costs about 53% more than Topeka, KS, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,387 per month in Hilton Head Island, SC and $2,868 in Topeka, KS. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Topeka, KS, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $699 there versus $2,151 in Hilton Head Island, SC.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,925 in Hilton Head Island, SC and $1,912 in Topeka, KS. That makes Topeka, KS about 35% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,294 per month in Hilton Head Island, SC and $439 in Topeka, KS. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Topeka, KS, where all-in costs run around $1,912, than in Hilton Head Island, SC at $2,925. In Topeka, KS it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hilton Head Island, SC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Topeka, KS – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.