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: $1,955 in Sumter, SC versus $1,932 in Cambridge.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,872 in Sumter, SC versus $2,869 in Cambridge.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,789 in Sumter, SC versus $3,807 in Cambridge.

Living in Sumter, SC is roughly 1% more expensive than in Cambridge, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sumter, SC 42% above, Cambridge 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.76 $17.76

$14.74 NZ$25.01

20.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 $59.9

$35.82 NZ$60.8

67.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.98 $10.98

$9.01 NZ$15.28

21.86%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$3.00 NZ$5.09

90.33%

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

$1.88 $1.88

$2.15 NZ$3.65

-12.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.81 NZ$3.08

-20.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$4.79 NZ$8.12

24.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.00 $7.00

$7.29 NZ$12.37

-3.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.64 NZ$2.79

-43.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.40 NZ$4.07

37.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.52 $3.52

$1.95 NZ$3.31

80.51%

Eggs

$4.67 $4.67

$6.21 NZ$10.54

-24.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.39 $16.39

$8.66 NZ$14.70

89.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 $9.83

$10.11 NZ$17.15

-2.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 $13.05

$13.35 NZ$22.65

-2.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$2.68 NZ$4.54

100.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.21 NZ$3.75

-33.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.40 NZ$4.08

88.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$2.90 NZ$4.93

59.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$2.33 NZ$3.96

58.80%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.74 NZ$2.95

75.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.13 NZ$3.61

-4.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.15 NZ$1.94

103.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.12 $10.12

$28.59 NZ$48.50

-64.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.58 $15.58

$10.57 NZ$17.92

47.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.97 NZ$5.04

-17.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.69 NZ$6.26

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 NZ$3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 NZ$170

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.42 NZ$4.10

21.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.03 NZ$3.44

-9.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.85 $29.85

$33.94 NZ$57.6

-12.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.69 NZ$2.87

-50.30%

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

$34.9K $34.9K

$27.1K NZ$46.0K

28.72%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$23.9K NZ$40.6K

6.04%

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

$171 $171

$107 NZ$182

59.35%

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

$67.4 $67.4

$28.06 NZ$47.59

140.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.75 $40.75

$37.72 NZ$64.0

8.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.12 $15.12

$36.20 NZ$61.4

-58.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.97 $4.97

Cinema Ticket

$7.09 $7.09

$13.98 NZ$23.71

-49.28%

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

$1,475 $1,475

$1,201 NZ$2,038

22.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.9K $24.9K

$21.0K NZ$35.7K

18.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 $51.3

$82.6 NZ$140

-37.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.89 $36.89

$44.87 NZ$76.1

-17.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 $92.9

$89.5 NZ$152

3.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$120 NZ$204

18.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 $1,028

$966 NZ$1,638

6.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$806 $806

$862 NZ$1,463

-6.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 $1,308

$1,659 NZ$2,814

-21.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 $1,238

$1,516 NZ$2,572

-18.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,484 $1,484

$5,087 NZ$8,628

-70.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,461 $1,461

$3,412 NZ$5,787

-57.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,065 $4,065

$2,704 NZ$4,586

50.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

5.39

0.19%

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

Last update for Sumter, SC: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,028 in Sumter, SC and $966 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sumter, SC pays 50% 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 $394 vs $317 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. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 50% higher in Sumter, SC, 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: $1,028 in Sumter, SC versus $966 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,475 in Sumter, SC versus $1,201 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 $1,932 in Cambridge versus $1,955 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 1% less than in Sumter, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.