Cost of Living Comparison Between Sumter, SC and Cambridge Cost of Living Comparison Between Sumter, SC and Cambridge

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,442 in Sumter, SC versus $2,238 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,506 in Sumter, SC versus $3,021 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,571 in Sumter, SC versus $3,804 in Cambridge.

Living in Sumter, SC is roughly 9% more expensive than Cambridge, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sumter, SC 82% above, Cambridge 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.10 $18.10

$13.82 NZ$23.34

30.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.2 $60.2

$35.76 NZ$60.4

68.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.17 $10.17

$8.78 NZ$14.83

15.83%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$2.94 NZ$4.97

72.79%

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

$1.88 $1.88

$2.30 NZ$3.89

-18.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

$2.15 NZ$3.62

-33.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$4.83 NZ$8.16

23.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 $6.82

$6.47 NZ$10.93

5.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.63 NZ$2.75

-53.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.70 NZ$2.87

58.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.88 NZ$3.17

132.98%

Eggs

$4.42 $4.42

$6.18 NZ$10.44

-28.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$8.39 NZ$14.16

-48.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 $7.57

$9.11 NZ$15.39

-16.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$12.48 NZ$21.07

4.01%

Apples (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$2.42 NZ$4.09

133.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.89 NZ$3.19

-15.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$2.44 NZ$4.11

174.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$2.94 NZ$4.96

36.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.12 NZ$3.58

-3.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.76 NZ$2.98

9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.12 NZ$3.58

-18.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.29 NZ$2.19

-20.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.23 $8.23

$20.37 NZ$34.39

-59.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.60 $15.60

$10.12 NZ$17.09

54.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.52 NZ$4.25

-13.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.65 NZ$4.47

-26.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.99 NZ$5.04

-34.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.5 NZ$109

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.67 NZ$4.50

9.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.97 NZ$3.33

-26.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.13 $30.13

$35.74 NZ$60.3

-15.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.66 NZ$2.80

-50.60%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$27.5K NZ$46.4K

25.62%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$23.5K NZ$39.7K

5.03%

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

$138 $138

$109 NZ$184

27.04%

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

$55.4 $55.4

$36.71 NZ$62.0

50.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.59 $44.59

$39.79 NZ$67.2

12.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.27 $43.27

$37.23 NZ$62.9

16.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.98 $4.98

$11.85 NZ$20.01

-57.97%

Cinema Ticket

$8.38 $8.38

$9.29 NZ$15.69

-9.80%

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

$1,316 $1,316

$742 NZ$1,253

77.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$12.0K NZ$20.3K

108.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.66 $45.66

$98.7 NZ$167

-53.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 $35.69

$56.8 NZ$95.8

-37.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.5 $59.5

$105 NZ$177

-43.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$129 NZ$218

14.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,587 $1,587

$975 NZ$1,646

62.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 $1,346

$1,217 NZ$2,055

10.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 $905

$2,146 NZ$3,623

-57.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,202 $2,202

$1,590 NZ$2,684

38.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,485 $1,485

$4,563 NZ$7,703

-67.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,460 $1,460

$3,389 NZ$5,722

-56.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,133 $4,133

$2,683 NZ$4,530

54.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.8

-20.00%

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

Last update for Sumter, SC: May 30, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,587 in Sumter, SC and $975 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sumter, SC pays 54% 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: $60.0 in Sumter, SC vs $36.00 in Cambridge for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $294 per month, with Cambridge 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

Sumter, SC vs Cambridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cambridge is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Sumter, SC pays 54% 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: $1,587 in Sumter, SC versus $975 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,316 in Sumter, SC versus $742 in Cambridge. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cambridge – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $60.0 in Sumter, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,238 in Cambridge versus $2,442 in Sumter, SC, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cambridge but tight or insufficient in Sumter, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Cambridge 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, Sumter, SC and Cambridge 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 Cambridge gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Sumter, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.