Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pensacola, FL and Spartanburg, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Spartanburg, SC: $2,299 a month against $2,610 in Pensacola, FL, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Pensacola, FL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

128

Cost of Living Index in Pensacola, FL
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Pensacola, FL Living Index
111

Cost of Living Index in Spartanburg, SC
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Spartanburg, SC Living Index

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Pensacola, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,610

/mo nomad

Spartanburg, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,299

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pensacola, FL and in Spartanburg, SC

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,610 in Pensacola, FL versus $2,299 in Spartanburg, SC.

Pensacola, FL $2,610
Spartanburg, SC $2,299

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,731 in Pensacola, FL versus $3,394 in Spartanburg, SC.

Pensacola, FL $3,731
Spartanburg, SC $3,394

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,853 in Pensacola, FL versus $4,488 in Spartanburg, SC.

Pensacola, FL $4,853
Spartanburg, SC $4,488

Living in Pensacola, FL is roughly 14% more expensive than in Spartanburg, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Pensacola, FL 93% above, Spartanburg, SC 70% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 $18.73

$17.24 $17.24

8.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.5 $54.5

$60.7 $60.7

-10.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 $12.08

$9.84 $9.84

22.76%

Cappuccino

$5.43 $5.43

$5.71 $5.71

-4.90%

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

$2.99 $2.99

$2.13 $2.13

40.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.35 $2.35

-7.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 $4.89

$5.06 $5.06

-3.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.07 $7.07

-1.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.00 $1.00

-13.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.51 $3.51

-1.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$5.66 $5.66

-52.12%

Eggs

$3.14 $3.14

$3.82 $3.82

-17.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.67 $10.67

$13.15 $13.15

-18.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.52 $11.52

$12.91 $12.91

-10.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 $14.13

$16.56 $16.56

-14.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.26 $3.26

21.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.38 $2.38

-36.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.90 $3.90

-30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$6.15 $6.15

-30.57%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.69 $2.69

20.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.71 $3.71

-25.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.23 $2.23

-3.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.95 $2.95

-26.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.05 $9.05

-2.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$16.77 $16.77

-9.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 $3.77

$6.93 $6.93

-45.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.49 $42.49

$119 $119

-64.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 $1.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.75 $25.75

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.86 $0.86

19.77%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$34.5K $34.5K

6.08%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.5K $26.5K

-2.53%

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

$308 $308

$177 $177

74.13%

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

$51.3 $51.3

$93.5 $93.5

-45.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.9 $70.9

$61.5 $61.5

15.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.13 $29.13

$26.87 $26.87

8.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.40 $18.40

Cinema Ticket

$13.05 $13.05

$12.23 $12.23

6.70%

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

$625 $625

$942 $942

-33.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K $14.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.91 $47.91

$41.14 $41.14

16.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.64 $40.64

$35.13 $35.13

15.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 $84.5

$80.0 $80.0

5.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.9 $96.9

$118 $118

-17.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,666 $1,666

$1,248 $1,248

33.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 $1,275

$959 $959

32.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,678 $2,678

$2,161 $2,161

23.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,138 $2,138

$1,588 $1,588

34.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,875 $3,875

$1,819 $1,819

113.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,082 $2,082

$1,821 $1,821

14.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,627 $3,627

$3,464 $3,464

4.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

7.22

-9.42%

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

Last update for Pensacola, FL: October 12, 2026

Last update for Spartanburg, SC: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Pensacola, FL

$1.3K 48.8%

Spartanburg, SC

$959 41.7% 24.8% $315

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pensacola, FL

$431 16.5%

Spartanburg, SC

$332 14.4% 22.9% $98

Groceries & Markets

Pensacola, FL

$358 13.7%

Spartanburg, SC

$421 * 18.3% 17.7% $63

Eating Out

Pensacola, FL

$310 11.9%

Spartanburg, SC

$293 12.8% 5.5% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Pensacola, FL

$121 4.7%

Spartanburg, SC

$123 5.4% 1.6% $1.9

Getting Around

Pensacola, FL

$60 2.3%

Spartanburg, SC

$119 * 5.2% 98.2% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Pensacola, FL

$55 2.1%

Spartanburg, SC

$51 2.2% 7% $3.9

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,666 in Pensacola, FL and $1,248 in Spartanburg, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pensacola, FL pays 5% 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: $55.0 in Pensacola, FL vs $61.0 in Spartanburg, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $358 vs $421 per month, with Pensacola, FL cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Pensacola, FL

🇺🇸 Spartanburg, SC

🕒 Local time

00:32 12:32 AM

01:32 1:32 AM

1 h ahead of Pensacola, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

53,248

37,013

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Pensacola, FL Spartanburg, SC 710 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Pensacola, FL
Spartanburg, SC

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

Pensacola, FL vs Spartanburg, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Spartanburg, SC is cheaper overall, especially in eating out and leisure. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Pensacola, FL, 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: $1,666 in Pensacola, FL versus $1,248 in Spartanburg, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Pensacola, FL pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Spartanburg, SC – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $55.0 in Pensacola, FL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,299 in Spartanburg, SC versus $2,610 in Pensacola, FL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Spartanburg, SC but tight or insufficient in Pensacola, FL. The gap between the two cities makes Spartanburg, 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.

Expats usually find Spartanburg, SC gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Pensacola, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.