Cost of living in Bluffton research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Bluffton is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in South Carolina, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Bluffton is 114, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Bluffton is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Bluffton ranks as the #94 cheapest in South Carolina out of 99.
Bluffton ranks as the #4,427 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.
The median home value in Bluffton is $336,100.
The median income in Bluffton is $89,245.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Bluffton has an overall cost of living index of 114, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to South Carolina, Bluffton has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than South Carolina's index of 96.
The standard of living in Bluffton ranks as #94 most affordable out of the 99 places we measured in South Carolina. By definition, that implies Bluffton ranks as the #5 most expensive place in the Palmetto State.
For more reading on life in Bluffton, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Bluffton. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Bluffton is 110.
The Groceries index in Bluffton is 110.
The Health index in Bluffton is 100.
The Housing index in Bluffton is 127.
The Transportation index in Bluffton is 95.
The Utilities index in Bluffton is 107.
Living Expense | Bluffton | South Carolina | National Average | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Overall | 114 | 96 | 100 | |
Services | 110 | 99 | 100 | |
Groceries | 110 | 100 | 100 | |
Health | 100 | 96 | 100 | |
Housing | 127 | 89 | 100 | |
Transportation | 95 | 90 | 100 | |
Utilities | 107 | 107 | 100 |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in South Carolina, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Bluffton is $336,100.
The Median Rent in Bluffton is $1,896.
The Median Income in Bluffton is $89,245.
The Home Value To Income in Bluffton is 3.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Bluffton is 0.25x.
Statistic | Bluffton | South Carolina | United States |
---|---|---|---|
Median Home Value | $336,100 | $181,800 | $244,900 |
Median Rent | $1,896 | $970 | $1,163 |
Median Income | $89,245 | $58,234 | $69,021 |
Home Value To Income | 3.8x | 3.1x | 3.5x |
Rent To Monthly Income | 0.25x | 0.2x | 0.2x |
Item | Bluffton | South Carolina |
---|---|---|
Shampoo | $1.08 | $1.06 |
Movie | $9.75 | $10.68 |
Bowling | $15.0 | $14.67 |
Haircut | $20.92 | $18.62 |
Beauty Salon | $59.92 | $39.05 |
Item | Bluffton | South Carolina |
---|---|---|
Ground Beef | $3.41 | $4.22 |
Fried Chicken | $1.44 | $1.39 |
Milk | $2.06 | $2.05 |
Potatoes | $2.97 | $3.29 |
Pizza | $10.99 | $10.62 |
Beer | $10.18 | $9.38 |
Toothpaste | $2.21 | $2.34 |
Item | Bluffton | South Carolina |
---|---|---|
Optometrist | $148.44 | $108.57 |
Doctor | $105.61 | $116.17 |
Dentist | $103.33 | $99.13 |
Item | Bluffton | South Carolina |
---|---|---|
Gasoline | $2.14 | $2.22 |
Tire Balancing | $45.5 | $50.07 |
Item | Bluffton | South Carolina |
---|---|---|
All Electricity | $181.91 | $167.67 |
Phone | $184.31 | $175.64 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Bluffton. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Savannah, GA has a cost of living index of 96, 0.8x Bluffton.
Hilton Head Island, SC has a cost of living index of 136, 1.2x Bluffton.
Wilmington Island, GA has a cost of living index of 107, 0.9x Bluffton.
City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Bluffton |
---|---|---|---|
Savannah, GA | 147,930 | 96 | 0.8x |
Hilton Head Island, SC | 38,068 | 136 | 1.2x |
Wilmington Island, GA | 15,521 | 107 | 0.9x |
Port Royal, SC | 12,734 | 108 | 0.9x |
Port Wentworth, GA | 10,502 | 98 | 0.9x |
Skidaway Island, GA | 8,961 | 135 | 1.2x |
Burton, SC | 7,818 | 96 | 0.8x |
Hardeeville, SC | 7,228 | 110 | 1.0x |
Whitemarsh Island, GA | 7,000 | 114 | 1.0x |
Laurel Bay, SC | 5,926 | 99 | 0.9x |