Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Florence, SC Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Florence, SC

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,458 in New York, NY versus $2,616 in Florence, SC.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,020 in New York, NY versus $3,755 in Florence, SC.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,582 in New York, NY versus $4,894 in Florence, SC.

Living in New York, NY is roughly 70% more expensive than Florence, SC, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: New York, NY 232% above, Florence, SC 95% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.87 $29.87

$15.15 $15.15

97.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 $148

$65.1 $65.1

126.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.37 $12.37

$10.79 $10.79

14.64%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$5.16 $5.16

17.64%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.38 $2.38

34.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.04 $2.04

29.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 $7.88

$4.07 $4.07

93.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.19 $12.19

$5.88 $5.88

107.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$0.99 $0.99

56.57%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.28 $3.28

56.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.16 $8.16

$4.47 $4.47

82.55%

Eggs

$6.96 $6.96

$5.69 $5.69

22.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.53 $17.53

$8.89 $8.89

97.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.22 $16.22

$19.06 $19.06

-14.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.40 $20.40

$22.78 $22.78

-10.45%

Apples (1kg)

$7.60 $7.60

$4.36 $4.36

74.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.33 $1.33

84.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$4.49 $4.49

25.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$4.34 $4.34

49.08%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.25 $2.25

65.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$4.39 $4.39

-9.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.97 $1.97

59.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.98 $1.98

23.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$18.92 $18.92

$6.57 $6.57

187.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.27 $20.27

$16.03 $16.03

26.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.75 $1.75

64.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.88 $3.88

$2.94 $2.94

31.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.02 $2.02

43.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$132 $132

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 $5.10

$4.07 $4.07

25.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.34 $2.34

-6.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.50 $42.50

$29.04 $29.04

46.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.80 $0.80

18.75%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$28.5K $28.5K

24.68%

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

$28.3K $28.3K

$24.4K $24.4K

16.03%

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

$181 $181

$183 $183

-1.55%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$54.6 $54.6

9.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.8 $63.8

$70.4 $70.4

-9.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$141 $141

$42.81 $42.81

229.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$64.9 $64.9

Cinema Ticket

$19.92 $19.92

$11.80 $11.80

68.81%

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

$3,208 $3,208

$1,429 $1,429

124.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$57.8K $57.8K

$23.7K $23.7K

143.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 $68.3

$39.45 $39.45

73.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.77 $48.77

$30.21 $30.21

61.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$103 $103

9.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$172 $172

$113 $113

53.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,213 $4,213

$756 $756

457.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,706 $2,706

$1,344 $1,344

101.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$8,515 $8,515

$3,924 $3,924

117.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,231 $5,231

$2,240 $2,240

133.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.9K $17.9K

$1,559 $1,559

1048.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,389 $6,389

$1,573 $1,573

306.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,445 $5,445

$3,087 $3,087

76.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

6.45

-0.16%

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

Last update for New York, NY: June 7, 2026

Last update for Florence, SC: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,213 in New York, NY and $756 in Florence, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 76% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $148 in New York, NY vs $65.0 in Florence, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $554 vs $437 per month, with Florence, SC cheaper across the board.

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

New York, NY vs Florence, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Florence, SC wins on cost – living expenses run 70% lower than in New York, NY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Florence, SC the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

New York, NY pays 76% 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: $4,213 in New York, NY versus $756 in Florence, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $3,208 in New York, NY versus $1,429 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 Florence, SC – a meal for two runs $65.0 versus $148 in New York, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,616 in Florence, SC versus $4,458 in New York, NY, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Florence, SC but tight or insufficient in New York, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Florence, SC the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Florence, SC delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,616 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Florence, SC hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Florence, SC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.