South Carolina · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Myrtle Beach, SC

Prices around Myrtle Beach, SC run 6.4% below the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $60,394 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,465 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $58,600 a year.

Myrtle Beach, SC at a glance

Median household income

$60,394$5,033 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,465HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)93.6-6.4% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity15.6¢per kWh · EIA Residential SC
Population38,371Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Myrtle Beach, SC?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,465Monthly market rent
Share of gross income29.1%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$58,600To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,510At 30% of $60,394
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Myrtle Beach, SC? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC HUD Metro FMR Area, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Myrtle Beach, SC, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,145$13,740$45,80022.8%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,229$14,748$49,16024.4%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,465$17,580$58,60029.1%
3-Bedroom Home$1,805$21,660$72,20035.9%
4-Bedroom Home$2,111$25,332$84,44041.9%

Rent in Myrtle Beach, SC, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Myrtle Beach, SC

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $60,394 a year ($5,033 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,516/moRent ($1,465 2-BR), utilities (~$140/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,510/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$1,007/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $60,394 leaves after South Carolina taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and South Carolina tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$60,394
$20,000$125,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$60,394
Net 81%
Fed 8%
SC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$49,018After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,085Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,885Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.8%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$5,067 / yr
South Carolina state income tax$1,689 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,620 / yr

Living in Myrtle Beach, SC: common questions

What is the median household income in Myrtle Beach, SC?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Myrtle Beach, SC is $60,394 per year (approximately $5,033 per month).

What is the average rent in Myrtle Beach, SC?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,145 for a studio, $1,229 for one bedroom, $1,465 for two, $1,805 for three and $2,111 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Myrtle Beach, SC expensive to live in?

Prices there run 6.4% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 93.6, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Myrtle Beach, SC?

To keep a $1,465 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $58,600 a year, or $4,883 a month. That is 97% of what the typical household in Myrtle Beach, SC earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Myrtle Beach, SC?

On the local median income of $60,394 ($5,033 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,516 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,510 for everything else and $1,007 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,465 takes 58% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Myrtle Beach, SC?

Homes in South Carolina paid 15.6¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $140. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.