South Carolina to Florida Moving Guide
Updated June 17, 2025

Planning a 497 mile interstate move from South Carolina to Florida? This moving guide will help you compare living in South Carolina vs Florida across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like hurricane risks vs sunny climate), food & health (like Shrimp and Grits vs Key Lime Pie), real estate & housing (charleston single house vs mediterranean revival), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Florida), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Shrimp and Grits and Pulled Pork BBQ, but get your taste buds ready for Key Lime Pie & Cuban Sandwich
- Florida housing costs are 35% more expensive than they are in South Carolina
- Rent in Florida is 34.62% more expensive than in South Carolina
- Moving from South Carolina to Florida will cost on average between $1,500 - $4,500
- Our top recommended South Carolina to Florida movers is Sebastian Moving and More
South Carolina to Florida Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from South Carolina to Florida
- Hurricane risks
- Limited beach access
- Higher state taxes
- Humble tourism
- Sunny climate
- Beautiful beaches
- No income tax
- Vibrant tourism
- Hot summers
- Busy cities
- Less historical
- Frequent rainfall
- Four seasons
- Quiet towns
- Rich history
- Shorter rainy season
Pros of moving from South Carolina to Florida
- Say goodbye to hurricane risks and hello to sunny climate
- Look forward to moving away from limited beach access and moving to Florida with beautiful beaches
- Swap the higher state taxes of South Carolina for no income tax in Florida
- Get ready for vibrant tourism in Florida
Cons of moving from South Carolina to Florida
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from four seasons in South Carolina to live with hot summers in Florida
- You'll lose out on the pro of quiet towns and have to settle for the con of busy cities
- Time to bid farewell to rich history and get used to less historical significance in Florida
- Swap a shorter rainy season for frequent rainfall
South Carolina vs. Florida: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | South Carolina | Florida |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Shrimp and Grits | Key Lime Pie |
Most popular meat dish | Pulled Pork BBQ | Cuban Sandwich |
Most popular street food item | Boiled Peanuts | Empanadas |
Most popular vegan food | Collard Greens | Jackfruit Tacos |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ | πͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺπͺ |
Abundance of Food Trucks | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Foodie Scene | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ | π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄π΄ |
Vegan Friendly | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± | π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π±π± |
If you're moving from South Carolina to Florida, you will be trading the iconic Shrimp and Grits of South Carolina for the equally delicious Key Lime Pie of Florida. And while the locals in South Carolina rave about their flavorful Pulled Pork BBQ and sumptuous Boiled Peanuts, Florida residents know they have tasty Cuban Sandwich and Empanadas to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Collard Greens they've grown to love, they can get ready for the Jackfruit Tacos of Florida. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic South Carolina eateries like Husk, Hominy Grill, and Bertha's Kitchen. After the boxes are unpacked in Florida, don't wait too long before making your way to Florida's acclaimed eateries like Joe's Stone Crab, Versailles Restaurant, and Bern's Steak House.
When comparing lifestyles, Florida shows a greater emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than South Carolina. Food truck fans will discover a greater selection in Florida compared to what you are used to in South Carolina. Also, the overall foodie scene is more bustling in Florida.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between South Carolina and Florida
Comparison | South Carolina | Florida |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Charleston Single House | Mediterranean Revival |
Walkability | ππππππππππ | ππππππππππ |
Bikeability | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² | π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π²π² |
Urban Lifestyle | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ | ποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈποΈ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Historic homes, proximity to parks | Waterfront, pools |
- The Charleston Single House architecture that South Carolina is known for will be replaced with the Mediterranean Revival architecture typical of Florida.
- Compared to South Carolina's real estate listings that commonly reference historic homes and proximity to parks, Florida real estate listings often highlight features like waterfronts and pools.
- Make sure you unpack those walking shoes. Florida is more walkable than South Carolina.
- Make sure the movers take care of your bike. Florida is more bike-friendly than South Carolina.
- Florida has more of an urban feel than South Carolina.
- Florida housing costs are 35% more expensive than they are in South Carolina, with a median home price of $397,137 compared to South Carolinaβs $293,893.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Florida have increased by 66% compared to a 58% increase in South Carolina.
- Rent in Florida is 34.62% more expensive than in South Carolina.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between South Carolina and Florida
Comparison | South Carolina | Florida |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ | βοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈβοΈ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ | π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦π¦ |
Avg. UV Index | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ | πΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈπΆοΈ |
Natural Disasters | Hurricanes, Floods | Hurricanes, Floods, Tornadoes |
Air Quality | Good | Variable |
Average Summer High/Low (Β°F) | 90Β°F / 71Β°F | 91Β°F / 75Β°F |
Average Winter High/Low (Β°F) | 59Β°F / 38Β°F | 70Β°F / 48Β°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 49.8" | 53.7" |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 1" | 0" |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from South Carolina to Florida. Florida gets 9% more sunshine days than South Carolina.
- Florida has higher humidity and a higher average UV index compared to South Carolina.
- Say goodbye to the possible hurricanes and floods in South Carolina, but be on the lookout for potential hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes in Florida.
- The average summer high temperature in Florida is 1 degree warmer than in South Carolina.
- The average winter lows are 10 degrees warmer than they are in South Carolina.
- Your umbrella might be more overworked in Florida. Florida receives 3.9 more inches of rain compared to South Carolina.
Financial & Community Snapshot: South Carolina and Florida
Comparison | South Carolina | Florida |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $64,115 | $69,303 |
Cost of Living Index | 96.85 | 97.8 |
State Income Tax | Up to 7% | 0% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.57% | 0.83% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 7.44% | 7.05% |
Top 3 Industries | Manufacturing, Finance, Agriculture | Tourism, Construction, Agriculture |
Affluence | Moderate | High |
Poverty | Moderate | Moderate |
Homelessness | Low | Moderate |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Florida tend to earn about 8% more than in South Carolina
- The COLI in Florida is 1% higher than what you are used to living in South Carolina
- Hooray, moving to FL means you'll no longer have state income taxes
- The affluence in Florida is high compared to moderate in South Carolina
- The poverty level is moderate in Florida compared to moderate in South Carolina
- In terms of homelessness, it is low in South Carolina and moderate in Florida
Political and Religious Climate in South Carolina vs. Florida
Comparison | South Carolina | Florida |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Lean Republican | Swing state |
Local Politics | Conservative | Mixed, varies by region |
Religion | Evangelical Protestant predominate | Diverse, Catholic and Protestant presence |
- South Carolina tends to lean Republican in its political climate
- Florida, on the other hand, is often described as a swing state
- Florida's religious environment can be described as diverse, with Catholic and Protestant presence
- South Carolina's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as predominantly evangelical Protestant
Education Guide When Moving from South Carolina to Florida
Comparison | South Carolina | Florida |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of South Carolina Clemson University College of Charleston | University of Florida Florida State University University of Miami |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Buist Academy (Charleston) Mount Pleasant Academy (Mount Pleasant) Clemson Elementary (Clemson) | Pine View School (Osprey) Southside Elementary (Miami) Freedom 7 Elementary (Cocoa Beach) |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Rollings Middle School of the Arts (Summerville) Greenville Middle Academy (Greenville) Gold Hill Middle School (Fort Mill) | Bak Middle School of the Arts (West Palm Beach) Archimedean Middle Conservatory (Miami) Falcon Cove Middle School (Weston) |
Top 3 High Schools | Academic Magnet High School (North Charleston) Charleston School of the Arts (North Charleston) Dutch Fork High (Irmo) | Stanton College Preparatory (Jacksonville) Design and Architecture Senior High (Miami) Pine View School (Osprey) |
Top 3 private high schools | Porter-Gaud School (Charleston) Hammond School (Columbia) Ashley Hall (Charleston) | Bolles School (Jacksonville) American Heritage School (Plantation) Pine Crest School (Fort Lauderdale) |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Hammond School (Columbia) Porter-Gaud School (Charleston) Ashley Hall (Charleston) | Pine View School (Osprey) Bolles School (Jacksonville) American Heritage School (Plantation) |
Top 3 School Districts | Greenville County Schools Lexington County School District One Charleston County School District | St. Johns County School District Sarasota County Schools Okaloosa County School District |
How Much Do South Carolina to Florida Movers Cost?
Moving 497 miles from South Carolina to Florida will typically cost between $2,000 and $4,500 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $2,000 - $4,500
- Expected Time To Complete: 3-10 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Veteran Moving Group
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,262 | 300 ft3 | $4.21 |
1 Bedroom | $1,873 | 450 ft3 | $4.16 |
2 Bedrooms | $3,090 | 750 ft3 | $4.12 |
3 Bedrooms | $4,486 | 1100 ft3 | $4.08 |
4 Bedrooms | $6,457 | 1600 ft3 | $4.04 |
5+ Bedrooms | $7,187 | 1800 ft3 | $3.99 |
Top South Carolina to Florida Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best South Carolina to Florida movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.

Sebastian Moving and More
Best moving company overall for South Carolina to Florida