Garden City, SC vs Surfside Beach, SC

Garden City is moderately more affordable than Surfside Beach, with a 13.9% lower cost of living index. Garden City scores 91 compared to 105 for Surfside Beach, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Surfside Beach can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Garden City is $1,382/month compared to $1,274/month in Surfside Beach — a 9% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Surfside Beach has cheaper rent, Garden City actually has lower median home values ($194,100 vs $412,100).

Median household income in Garden City is $50,027 compared to $74,202 in Surfside Beach (-32.6%). While Surfside Beach is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Garden City spend roughly 33.2% of their income on rent, more than the 20.6% in Surfside Beach. The Surfside Beach ratio exceeds the commonly recommended 30% threshold, which can put pressure on household budgets.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (64°F vs 64°F). Surfside Beach receives more rainfall at 48.5" per year compared to 48.5" in Garden City.