Living Cost Compare
Greenville

South Carolina

$1,300/mo est.

vs
Rapid City

South Dakota

$970/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,300 in Greenville, SC versus $970 in Rapid City, SD. Overall, Rapid City, SD is roughly 25% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Greenville, SC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $68,460 in Greenville, SC and $65,712 in Rapid City, SD — about 4% higher in Greenville, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; South Dakota has no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax.

Greenville, SC
Rapid City, SD

Rent

Studio
$1,175
$533
+55% in Greenville, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,113
$807
+27% in Greenville, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,325
$1,156
+13% in Greenville, SC
3 Bedroom
$1,550
$1,260
+19% in Greenville, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$453,300
$270,000
+40% in Greenville, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$68,460
$65,712
+4% in Greenville, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,580
$46,270
+1% in Greenville, SC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.8 yr
39.0 yr
+4.2 yr in Rapid City, SD
Homeownership
41.2%
61.6%
+20.4 pp in Rapid City, SD
Bachelor's+ (25+)
55.0%
36.4%
+18.6 pp in Greenville, SC
Avg Commute
19.9 min
17.4 min
+2.5 min in Greenville, SC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
649.8
718.9
+11% in Rapid City, SD
Property Crime
3,479.3
3,795.8
+9% in Rapid City, SD

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
60.5°F
47.1°F
+13.4°F in Greenville, SC
Annual Precipitation
50.8 in
16.3 in
+34.5 in in Greenville, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.85/gal
+2% in Greenville, SC

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.6
15.4
+1% in Greenville, SC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$29.07
$15.26
+48% in Greenville, SC

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Rapid City, SD
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Greenville, SC
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in Rapid City, SD
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in Rapid City, SD
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in Rapid City, SD
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / SD)
6%
4.2%
+1.8 pp in SC
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
None
+6.0 pp in SC

Greenville vs Rapid City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Greenville or Rapid City?
Rapid City, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $970 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Greenville, SC's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Greenville than in Rapid City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Greenville versus $32,000 in Rapid City.
Which has lower taxes, Greenville or Rapid City?
Greenville is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Rapid City under South Dakota's (no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).