Florida vs South Carolina Living

Do you live in Florida and you are actually considering leaving the Sunshine State and possibly moved to South Carolina? Or maybe, you live in South Carolina and you're thinking about moving to Florida. Well, today, I'm going to talk about some of the differences and similarities between Florida versus South Carolina. Hopefully, I'll be able to help you get a better idea if the decision that you're considering is the right one for you and your family, so stick around.

Alright. So, let's talk about some of the different things between Florida versus South Carolina.

COST OF LIVING

First, I want to touch on the cost of living. Yes, the cost of living is higher in Florida than it is in South Carolina. And let me break that down a little bit for you as far as the different categories in the cost of living.

HOUSING

First, of course, let me talk about housing. I am a realtor, love to talk about housing. I'm going to use the index scale. So, 100 would be the average of the US average. So, anything above 100 is going to be above the US average. Anything below 100 on the index scale is going to be below the US average. So, for housing, for Florida, it's at 102.6 and for South Carolina, it's 73.6. So, you can see how much of the housing market is much more expensive in Florida than in South Carolina.

UTILITIES

Speaking of housing, we'll talk about utilities. So, the utilities on the index scale for Florida is 101.3 and South Carolina is at 103.9. So, it's just a little bit higher in South Carolina.

TRANSPORTATION

Now for transportation, in Florida, it's 116.6 and in South Carolina, it's at 103.9. And when I talk about transportation, I'm talking about gasoline, maintenance for repairs for your vehicle, and car insurance. As you can see, it is higher in Florida as well.

HEALTHCARE

Now for healthcare, such as doctor visits, dental checkups, maybe vision. In Florida, on the scale, it's at 98. So, it's just below the US average. For South Carolina, it's at 102.3. So, that's actually higher in South Carolina than it is in Florida.

GROCERIES

For groceries, a little bit more in Florida, it's at 102.8 on the index scale. And in South Carolina, it's 95.8. So, it's just a little bit below the national average.

Overall, the state of Florida on the index scale, it's at 102.8. So, it is a little bit higher than the national average and South Carolina is at 88.5. So, if you're really into the numbers when it comes to the cost of living and wants to find a place that's comfortable for your budget, South Carolina might be better for you if you're looking for something a little bit cheaper. But, you'll still be able to find some areas that might work best for you in your budget in Florida as well. So, try not to rule that out.

EDUCATION

Now, if you're concerned about education and what are the best schools. And, maybe you have a child that's getting ready to attend college or maybe you're getting ready to move on to college yourself and you're really concerned about the right school that works for you. Don't worry because Florida and South Carolina both have amazing schools.

In Florida, of course, there's Florida State University, there's the University of Florida, there's FAMU, there's the University of Miami, and there's more. I just want to name a few.

Now, for South Carolina, you have Clemson University, you have the University of South Carolina, and you also have the College of Charleston. So, if you haven't been to Charleston, I heard that that's actually a great place to even visit if you're not even looking to attend college. It's just a great great place to go because it is the oldest city in South Carolina. So, it's also a historical place, not just a great place to attend college. So, you definitely have your options as far as furthering your education and choosing the right school. So, just make sure you look into both and see what's right for you if you are looking to continue your education.

ACTIVITIES

Now, if you're concerned with activities, things to do or maybe you are just wanting to plan a trip just to visit both Florida and South Carolina. They both have their own little parks in each state. Of course, in Florida, we are obviously known for having the best location for Disney World. There are also Universal Studios, SeaWorld, LEGOLAND, Busch Gardens. There are also plenty of opportunities to go on fishing charters all around the state because, you know, we're a peninsula, so there's water everywhere. And there are also some museums and outdoor activities that you'll be able to enjoy in Florida. Of course, you can always just sit out on the beach and soak up the sun and beautiful white sand as well.

Now, South Carolina is also a bit, it's just as a great place to visit. They have more museums, and lots of historical sites to visit. If you want to vacation or want to live in an area where a little more beachy, you can check out Myrtle Beach. I've actually been there before, I've stayed in North Myrtle Beach, a great place. It did kind of have, the North Myrtle Beach had more of a the Destin feel, I would say, for those of you that's familiar with Destin. And in South Myrtle Beach have more of a Panama City beach feel. That's just in my opinion. So, that's definitely a great place to check out when in South Carolina if you still want to have a little bit more of a touristy area and access to the beach. There's also the Riverbanks Zoo & Garden if you want to see animals. There's also Middleton Place if you like a lot of greenery outdoor sites to visit.

So, yes, both places have great places to visit. As far as Florida, of course, it's known for a lot of its major attractions for families to visit. And South Carolina is more of, lots of outdoor areas to visit, waterfalls, and a lot of historical sites if you're one of those history buffs that love that kind of thing. Love those types of things.

WEATHER

Now, if you're more concerned with the weather or curious about the weather between Florida and South Carolina. Well, in both states it does get pretty hot. The thing is, there's a catch for Florida. It's going to have the humidity along with the heat. Not so much in South Carolina from what I understand. I visited South Carolina during the summertime once before and it didn't feel as humid as it does during the summertime in Florida. So, I enjoyed that very much though without having to walk around with frizzy hair due to the humidity. But yes, of course, during these summer months, we're going to have the heat in both Florida and South Carolina, and it's going to get much cooler in the wintertime as well. I believe it does get a little cooler in South Carolina. But here in Florida, a lot of us Floridians, some of us can be a bit of a wimp when it comes to cooler weather. We can say, okay, 60 degrees it's time to bundle up. So, it's really just a matter of what your comfort level is when it comes to heat and the cold.

RETIREMENT

Now, if you're at the point in your life where you are getting ready to retire, and are considering relocating to one of the southern states such as Florida or South Carolina. Well, I should say Florida is one of the most tax-friendly states in the country for retirees, which also lowers your real estate taxes. There's no state income tax, so that's always a plus and permanent residents are eligible for homestead exemptions up to $50,000, and seniors may also qualify for additional exemptions.

Now, for South Carolina, it's equally great, it's just that it offers numerous recreational activities for retirees. There are also lower tax rates and of course, the weather is gonna be great for those retirees that don't want to bundle up anymore and just want to spend out their days out maybe on the beach. Of course, Florida and South Carolina would be great options for retirement.

So, I hope that little bit of information was useful to you as far as the differences and similarities between Florida and South Carolina. Whether you are looking to leave Florida and head to South Carolina or the other way around. You're looking to head on down to the Sunshine State from South Carolina. But, if you are looking to relocate here to Florida, feel free to reach out to us, please call/text us at 850.320.7757 or email us at Admin@WhittemoreGroupRE.com