Columbia, SC Cost of Living & Economic Score
Federal Bureau of Economic Analysis cost-of-living and household-budget data for the Columbia, SC metropolitan statistical area.
Cost of living in Columbia
According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, prices in the Columbia, SC metropolitan area run 5.0% below the U.S. average (Regional Price Parity index 95.0 on a base of 100). That puts Columbia close to the middle of the U.S. cost-of-living range.
For broader state context — including state taxes, insurance, and energy costs that affect every South Carolina household — see the South Carolina state report.
Explore Columbia in the live dashboard →Other South Carolina metros
- Charleston-North Charleston, SC RPP 102.0 C-
- Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC RPP 93.0 B-
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About the InflationRank Score
The InflationRank Score is a proprietary 0–100 composite that summarizes a metro area's cost-of-living and economic conditions on a familiar A–F grading scale. The composite weighs cost level, inflation pressure, and income resilience, sourced from federal government datasets and reviewed annually as federal data refreshes.
Underlying data is drawn from authoritative federal economic agencies and public housing datasets. See full data sources →