Best Places to Retire in South Carolina for Cost of Living
Quick answer
The most affordable places to retire in South Carolina in 2026 are Greenville, Irmo, and Gaffney. Greenville ranks first, with col index of 93.3. Rankings below cover 15 South Carolina cities and measure the overall cost-of-living index relative to the U.S. average (100), using the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities and the Census Bureau.
Cities where your retirement savings go further, ranked by overall cost of living and affordability. When choosing a retirement destination in South Carolina, cost of living is often a top priority. The cities below are ranked by the overall cost-of-living index relative to the U.S. average (100), drawn from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities and the Census Bureau and refreshed for 2026.
Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities and the Census Bureau. See our full methodology and data lineage →
Ranked #1 of 15 South Carolina cities for cost of living, with col index of 93.3.
COL Index
93.3
Ranked #2 of 15 South Carolina cities for cost of living, with col index of 93.3. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
93.3
Ranked #3 of 15 South Carolina cities for cost of living, with col index of 93.3. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
93.3
Ranked #4 of 15 South Carolina cities for cost of living, with col index of 93.3. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
93.3
Ranked #5 of 15 South Carolina cities for cost of living, with col index of 93.3. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
93.3
Ranked #6 of 15 South Carolina cities for cost of living, with col index of 93.3. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
93.3
Ranked #7 of 15 South Carolina cities for cost of living, with col index of 93.3. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
93.3
Ranked #8 of 15 South Carolina cities for cost of living, with col index of 93.3. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
93.3
Ranked #9 of 15 South Carolina cities for cost of living, with col index of 93.3. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
93.3
Ranked #10 of 15 South Carolina cities for cost of living, with col index of 93.3. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
93.3
Ranked #11 of 15 South Carolina cities for cost of living, with col index of 93.3. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
93.3
Ranked #12 of 15 South Carolina cities for cost of living, with col index of 93.3. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
93.3
Ranked #13 of 15 South Carolina cities for cost of living, with col index of 93.3. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
93.3
Ranked #14 of 15 South Carolina cities for cost of living, with col index of 93.3. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
93.3
Ranked #15 of 15 South Carolina cities for cost of living, with col index of 93.3. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
93.3
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What is the best place to retire in South Carolina for cost of living?
Greenville ranks first among South Carolina retirement cities for cost of living, with col index of 93.3. Irmo and Gaffney follow closely behind. Rankings use the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities and the Census Bureau.
How does RetireCityIQ rank South Carolina cities for cost of living?
Each city is scored on the overall cost-of-living index relative to the U.S. average (100), sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities and the Census Bureau. Cities are then ordered from lowest to highest on that metric. See our methodology page for the full scoring model and data lineage.
Which South Carolina cities are covered in these cost of living rankings?
These rankings cover 15 South Carolina retirement cities, including Greenville, Irmo, Gaffney, Mauldin, Carolina Forest, and more. Each links to a full retirement guide with cost of living, taxes, healthcare, and climate data.