Myrtle Beach, SC Offers Lower Cost of Living Compared to North Carolina, Driven by Housing Affordability
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Horry County generally exhibit a lower cost of living compared to many areas in North Carolina, with housing being the primary factor. The statewide cost-of-living index for South Carolina is typically a few points below North Carolina's. Median single-family home prices in the Myrtle Beach/Horry County area are often lower than in North Carolina's larger metropolitan areas and coastal communities. Inland neighborhoods within Horry County, such as Carolina Forest, Conway, and Longs, frequently offer more square footage for the money. South Carolina's property tax system, which assesses a qualifying primary residence at 4% of fair market value and often exempts it from school operating millage, results in lower annual tax bills for many owner-occupied homes compared to North Carolina's system, which taxes property at 100% of assessed value.
