Living Cost Compare
Greenville

South Carolina

$1,300/mo est.

vs
Springfield

Missouri

$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 Springfield, MO. Overall, Springfield, MO 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 $45,984 in Springfield, MO — about 33% higher in Greenville, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Greenville, SC
Springfield, MO

Rent

Studio
$1,175
$760
+35% in Greenville, SC
1 Bedroom
$1,113
$772
+31% in Greenville, SC
2 Bedroom
$1,325
$926
+30% in Greenville, SC
3 Bedroom
$1,550
$1,158
+25% in Greenville, SC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$453,300
$165,200
+64% in Greenville, SC

Income

Median Household Income
$68,460
$45,984
+33% in Greenville, SC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,580
$45,780
+2% in Greenville, SC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.8 yr
33.6 yr
+1.2 yr in Greenville, SC
Homeownership
41.2%
42.9%
+1.7 pp in Springfield, MO
Bachelor's+ (25+)
55.0%
30.3%
+24.7 pp in Greenville, SC
Avg Commute
19.9 min
18.0 min
+1.9 min in Greenville, SC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
649.8
1,189.8
+83% in Springfield, MO
Property Crime
3,479.3
4,231.6
+22% in Springfield, MO

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
56.3°F
+4.2°F in Greenville, SC
Annual Precipitation
50.8 in
45.6 in
+5.2 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
16.2
+4% in Springfield, MO
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$29.07
$28.78
+1% in Greenville, SC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Springfield, MO
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Greenville, SC
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in Springfield, MO
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in Springfield, MO
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in Springfield, MO
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 / MO)
6%
4.225%
+1.8 pp in SC
Income Tax (top rate)
6.00%
4.70%
+1.3 pp in SC

Greenville vs Springfield — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Greenville or Springfield?
Springfield, MO 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 Springfield?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Greenville versus $31,000 in Springfield.
Which has lower taxes, Greenville or Springfield?
Greenville is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Springfield under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% 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).