Cost of Living Comparison Between Myrtle Beach, SC and Rome Cost of Living Comparison Between Myrtle Beach, SC and Rome

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,453 per month in Myrtle Beach, SC vs $2,031 in Rome, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,432 per month in Myrtle Beach, SC vs $3,167 in Rome, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,411 per month in Myrtle Beach, SC vs $4,304 in Rome, rent included.

Myrtle Beach, SC costs about 21% more than Rome, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Myrtle Beach, SC and Rome sit above the global median – Myrtle Beach, SC by 79%, Rome by 48%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.67 $17.67

$17.45 €15.02

1.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.5 $75.5

$70.9 €61.0

6.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.20 $11.20

$11.79 €10.14

-5.00%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$2.26 €1.94

134.51%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$3.10 €2.67

-11.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.55 €1.33

43.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 $5.83

$5.86 €5.04

-0.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 $6.89

$6.82 €5.86

1.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.80 €1.55

-46.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.28 €1.97

45.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.25 €2.80

8.31%

Eggs

$3.96 $3.96

$4.74 €4.08

-16.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 $12.92

$15.31 €13.18

-15.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.79 $10.79

$12.46 €10.72

-13.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.91 $14.91

$19.09 €16.43

-21.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$2.67 €2.30

92.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$2.47 €2.13

-47.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$2.56 €2.21

71.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.44 €2.10

92.21%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$1.46 €1.25

154.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.61 €1.39

72.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.44 €1.24

32.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$0.51 €0.43

354.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.40 $7.40

$7.07 €6.09

4.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.75 $12.75

$4.54 €3.91

180.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.73 €1.49

3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.93 €2.52

-29.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.69 €1.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.92 €35.22

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$7.64 €6.57

-60.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.78 €1.53

3.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.87 $29.87

$34.61 €29.78

-13.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$2.05 €1.77

-57.56%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$37.1K €31.9K

-23.46%

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

$23.5K $23.5K

$36.0K €30.9K

-34.53%

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

$157 $157

$220 €189

-28.68%

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

$68.0 $68.0

$12.41 €10.68

448.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.7 $77.7

$31.36 €26.98

147.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.5 $51.5

$68.4 €58.9

-24.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.15 $15.15

$25.35 €21.81

-40.24%

Cinema Ticket

$11.09 $11.09

$11.50 €9.90

-3.57%

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

$1,481 $1,481

$504 €434

193.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$17.4K €15.0K

43.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.79 $49.79

$74.4 €64.0

-33.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.64 $36.64

$37.93 €32.64

-3.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 $85.3

$87.3 €75.1

-2.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 $87.8

$124 €107

-29.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,535 $1,535

$1,244 €1,071

23.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 $1,284

$887 €763

44.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,388 $2,388

$2,637 €2,269

-9.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 $1,823

$1,795 €1,545

1.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,374 $2,374

$8,673 €7,463

-72.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,283 $2,283

$3,283 €2,825

-30.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,647 $3,647

$1,947 €1,675

87.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

3.52

72.44%

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

Last update for Myrtle Beach, SC: August 29, 2026

Last update for Rome: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,535 in Myrtle Beach, SC versus $1,244 in Rome. 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 87% higher in Myrtle Beach, SC, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Myrtle Beach, SC versus $71.0 in Rome. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $332 – making Rome the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Myrtle Beach, SC vs Rome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Myrtle Beach, SC is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,679 per month in Myrtle Beach, SC and $3,046 in Rome. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rome, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,453 in Myrtle Beach, SC and $2,031 in Rome. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,481 per month in Myrtle Beach, SC and $504 in Rome. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rome, where all-in costs run around $2,031, than in Myrtle Beach, SC at $2,453. In Rome it covers expenses comfortably, while in Myrtle Beach, SC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Rome. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Myrtle Beach, SC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.