Maryland
High tax burden · COL index 116
Wins 8 categories
South Carolina
Moderate tax burden · COL index 93
Wins 7 categories
Cost of living in Maryland (index 116) runs 25% higher than South Carolina (index 93). Property taxes are meaningfully different: Maryland averages 0.97% annually vs South Carolina's 0.43%. The median home in Maryland costs $420K vs $310K in South Carolina. Politically, South Carolina voted Republican in 2024 (R+13.0) while Maryland went Democratic (D+24.0).
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Crime & Safety
Healthcare
Education
Childcare
Utilities & Daily Costs
Social Policy
Category wins
8
Maryland
7
South Carolina
Run the full slider tool to score these states against your specific income, home value, retirement, and lifestyle priorities.
Score For My Profile →People Also Ask
Is it cheaper to live in Maryland or South Carolina?
Overall cost of living in Columbia, SC is 10.5% lower than in Baltimore, MD. The average listing price for a home in Columbia, SC is $348,909, which is 17.1% lower than Baltimore, MD. The average cost of groceries in Columbia, SC is 4.3% lower than Baltimore, MD.
Why are people moving out of SC?
What are the drawbacks of living in South Carolina?
Is SC more Republican or Democrat?
Presently, South Carolina's government is formed as a representative democracy. South Carolina is a largely conservative, Republican state.