States › South Carolina › Garden City

Is Garden City, SC expensive to live in?

ExpensiveRent takes 36 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,54912% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$50,958about $4,247/month · 41% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$217,40035% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 55% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 4.3 years of household income. Most homes (85.4%) are owned, so rentals can be hard to find.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $61,960 a year. That is $30 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other South Carolina cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of South Carolina. It is number 59 of 101 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Garden City
$1,549
$1,471
$1,875
$1,614

How much do households earn in Garden City?

Under $25k
25.9%
$25k–50k
23.3%
$50k–100k
28.8%
$100k–150k
9.1%
$150k+
6.5%

Share of households by yearly income. 15.6% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Garden City

SizeGarden CityU.S. average
2 bedrooms$1,504$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,625$1,698

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Garden City overall?

Everyday prices in South Carolina overall are 6% below the U.S. average (index 93.7, U.S. = 100).

Housing
80
Goods (food, clothes…)
96
Utilities
88
Other services
98
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Garden City, so the South Carolina figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Garden City

🏛️ Property tax$749a year · 0.34% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$121a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Garden City

Commute to work22 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree22.2%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home85.4%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line17.7%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment5.1%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Garden City?

About the same. Renting and owning cost within $41 of each other each month.

Renting
$1,549
Owning
$1,508

Owning assumes a typical $217,400 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $21,740 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Garden City, SC?

Renting in Garden City costs a median of about $1,549 a month in 2026, including utilities. The South Carolina median is $1,479.

How much do I need to make to live in Garden City?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $61,960 a year, or $30 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Garden City cheap or expensive?

Garden City is rated Expensive: rent takes 36.5% of the typical household income of $50,958. It ranks 59th cheapest of 101 South Carolina cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Garden City?

The median homeowner in Garden City pays $749 a year in property taxes, about 0.34% of the median home value.

Is Garden City more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in South Carolina are 6% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Garden City?

The median home value in Garden City is $217,400, about 4.3 times the typical yearly household income.

11,591 people live in Garden City. Numbers are typical (middle) values.