St. Matthews, SC vs Surfside Beach, SC

The cost of living difference between St. Matthews, SC and Surfside Beach, SC is dramatic. St. Matthews is 33.8% cheaper than Surfside Beach, a gap that translates to thousands of dollars per year in household expenses. St. Matthews has a cost index of 70 while Surfside Beach sits at 105, making this one of the more striking comparisons on our site. Relocating between these cities would require a serious reassessment of budget and lifestyle expectations.

On the housing front, median rent in St. Matthews is $825/month compared to $1,274/month in Surfside Beach — a 35% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: St. Matthews is more affordable at $146,600 median vs $412,100.

Median household income in St. Matthews is $55,351 compared to $74,202 in Surfside Beach (-25.4%). The higher salaries in Surfside Beach partially offset the cost difference, but don't fully close the gap. Looking at affordability, residents of St. Matthews spend roughly 17.9% of their income on rent, less than the 20.6% in Surfside Beach.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (65°F vs 64°F). Surfside Beach receives more rainfall at 48.5" per year compared to 43.7" in St. Matthews.