Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sumter, SC and Cambridge

For one person, living costs are similar in Sumter, SC and in Cambridge: $2,076 and $2,044 a month, rent and utilities included.

Sumter, SC
🇺🇸 United States
$2,076
/mo nomad
Cambridge
🇳🇿 New Zealand
$2,044
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sumter, SC and in Cambridge

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,076 in Sumter, SC versus $2,044 in Cambridge.

  • Sumter, SC $2,076
  • Cambridge $2,044

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,999 in Sumter, SC versus $2,830 in Cambridge.

  • Sumter, SC $2,999
  • Cambridge $2,830

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,922 in Sumter, SC versus $3,617 in Cambridge.

  • Sumter, SC $3,922
  • Cambridge $3,617

Living in Sumter, SC is roughly 2% more expensive than in Cambridge, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sumter, SC 54% above, Cambridge 51% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sumter, SC
Cambridge
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.15 $18.15
$13.75 NZ$24.32
32.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.8 $55.8
$68.4 NZ$121
-18.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.88 $10.88
$8.74 NZ$15.45
24.49%
Cappuccino
$5.85 $5.85
$3.45 NZ$6.10
69.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 $1.94
$1.93 NZ$3.41
0.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 $1.38
$1.99 NZ$3.52
-30.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.94 $5.94
$6.08 NZ$10.75
-2.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.02 $7.02
$6.63 NZ$11.73
5.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sumter, SC
Cambridge
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.01 $1.01
$1.51 NZ$2.67
-33.11%
White Bread (500g)
$3.96 $3.96
$2.23 NZ$3.94
77.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.17 $3.17
$1.89 NZ$3.34
67.72%
Eggs
$4.43 $4.43
$5.95 NZ$10.53
-25.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.47 $16.47
$8.33 NZ$14.73
97.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.94 $15.94
$9.43 NZ$16.68
69.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.29 $18.29
$13.01 NZ$23.01
40.58%
Apples (1kg)
$5.23 $5.23
$2.55 NZ$4.50
105.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 $1.49
$2.28 NZ$4.04
-34.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.62 $4.62
$3.02 NZ$5.34
52.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.63 $4.63
$5.65 NZ$9.99
-18.05%
Potato (1kg)
$3.77 $3.77
$2.11 NZ$3.73
78.67%
Onion (1kg)
$3.16 $3.16
$1.56 NZ$2.76
102.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.06 $2.06
$2.27 NZ$4.02
-9.25%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.25 $2.25
$1.08 NZ$1.92
108.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.96 $9.96
$25.11 NZ$44.41
-60.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.50 $15.50
$10.40 NZ$18.39
49.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.45 $2.45
$3.44 NZ$6.08
-28.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 $3.78
$3.84 NZ$6.79
-1.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Sumter, SC
Cambridge
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.72 NZ$4.81
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.04 $3.04
$2.18 NZ$3.85
39.45%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.83 $1.83
$1.94 NZ$3.43
-5.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.42 $29.42
$31.37 NZ$55.5
-6.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 $0.85
$1.70 NZ$3.00
-50.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9K $34.9K
$25.1K NZ$44.4K
38.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.0K $25.0K
$22.1K NZ$39.1K
13.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sumter, SC
Cambridge
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$174 $174
$99.4 NZ$176
75.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$68.8 $68.8
$26.44 NZ$46.77
160.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$81.5 $81.5
$50.8 NZ$89.8
60.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sumter, SC
Cambridge
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.20 $15.20
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.85 $4.85
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.86 $6.86
$13.51 NZ$23.90
-49.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sumter, SC
Cambridge
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,483 $1,483
$673 NZ$1,190
120.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.5K $24.5K
$19.3K NZ$34.1K
26.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sumter, SC
Cambridge
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.96 $49.96
$62.0 NZ$110
-19.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.31 $37.31
$37.37 NZ$66.1
-0.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.6 $96.6
$93.1 NZ$165
3.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 $143
$105 NZ$186
35.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sumter, SC
Cambridge
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,014 $1,014
$584 NZ$1,033
73.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$814 $814
$1,122 NZ$1,985
-27.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,333 $1,333
$1,158 NZ$2,048
15.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,196 $1,196
$1,449 NZ$2,563
-17.48%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,476 $1,476
$4,539 NZ$8,027
-67.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,475 $1,475
$3,931 NZ$6,953
-62.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sumter, SC
Cambridge
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,087 $4,087
$2,585 NZ$4,571
58.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.48
6
8.00%

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

Last update for Sumter, SC: October 13, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Sumter, SC
$814
Cambridge
$1.1K 37.9% $308
Groceries & Markets
Sumter, SC
$444
Cambridge
$324 27.1% $121
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sumter, SC
$325
Cambridge
$177 45.6% $148
Eating Out
Sumter, SC
$305
Cambridge
$237 22.3% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Sumter, SC
$147
Cambridge
$134 8.9% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Sumter, SC
$29
Cambridge
$27 * 6.6% $1.9
Getting Around
Sumter, SC
$12 *
Cambridge
$23 * 87.1% $11

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 $1,014 in Sumter, SC and $584 in Cambridge. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sumter, SC pays 58% 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: $56.0 in Sumter, SC vs $68.0 in Cambridge. Groceries flip the comparison at $444 vs $324, with Cambridge cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Sumter, SC
🇳🇿 Cambridge
🕒 Local time
13:35 1:35 PM
06:35 6:35 AM
17 h ahead of Sumter, SC
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
39,159
21,400
Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Sumter, SC Cambridge 13,370 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Sumter, SC
  • Cambridge

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
Sumter, SC vs Cambridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cambridge cheaper than Sumter, SC?
Cambridge is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Sumter, SC or Cambridge?
Average pay runs 58% 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.
What is the rent difference between Sumter, SC and Cambridge?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,014 in Sumter, SC versus $584 in Cambridge. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,483 in Sumter, SC versus $673 in Cambridge. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Sumter, SC or in Cambridge?
Dining out is cheaper in Cambridge – a meal for two runs $68.0 versus $56.0 in Sumter, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Sumter, SC or in Cambridge?
At $2,044 in Cambridge versus $2,076 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.
Is it better to live in Sumter, SC or in Cambridge?
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.
Which city is safer, Sumter, SC or Cambridge?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cambridge gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Sumter, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Sumter, SC vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?