Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Richland County, SC would need to be about $40,905 in Union County, SC, or $9,095 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Richland County, SC vs Union County, SC: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Union County, SC is cheaper than Richland County, SC.
Moving to Union County, SC is estimated to save $9,150 per year.
Cheaper County
Union County, SCSave about $9,150 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Richland County, SC is about $40,905 in Union County, SC.
Biggest drivers
Transport increases by $1,061 per year. Housing saves $5,472 per year.
Housing: $5,472 lower in Union County, SC
Taxes: $2,451 lower in Union County, SC
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $258 higher in Union County, SC
Food: $646 lower in Union County, SC
Transport: $1,061 higher in Union County, SC
Richland County, SC→Union County, SC
Equivalent salary in Union County, SC
$40,905
-18.19% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Richland County, SC: $84,362
Median Income in Union County, SC: $58,513
Living Index in Richland County, SC 59.62%
Living Index in Union County, SC 70.32%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Richland County, SC to Union County, SC.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Richland County, SC to Union County, SC is estimated to save $9,150 per year. A $50,000 salary in Richland County, SC would have similar purchasing power to about $40,905 in Union County, SC. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -18.19% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $5,472 per year lower (-41.61%); Taxes is $2,451 per year lower (-24.54%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Richland County, SC and Union County, SC, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 59.6% of median family income in Richland County, SC and 70.3% in Union County, SC. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $5,472 per year lower in Union County, SC than in Richland County, SC. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Union County, SC changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $646 per year lower in Union County, SC than in Richland County, SC. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Union County, SC can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $1,061 per year higher in Union County, SC than in Richland County, SC. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Union County, SC.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $258 per year higher in Union County, SC than in Richland County, SC. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Union County, SC changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $1,900 per year lower in Union County, SC than in Richland County, SC. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Union County, SC help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Richland County, SC and Union County, SC, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Union County, SC, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $2,451 per year lower in Union County, SC than in Richland County, SC. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Union County, SC matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Union County, SC.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Union County, SC
Annual Increase:
$1,061 per year
TRANSPORT has the largest annual increase when moving to Union County, SC.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Union County, SC
Annual Savings:
$5,472 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Union County, SC.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -42% lower | |
| Food | -15% lower | |
| Transport | 9% higher | |
| Healthcare | 5% higher | |
| Other Costs | -35% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -25% lower |
In Union County, SC, modeled annual costs are $41,144 compared with $50,294 in Richland County, SC.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Union County, SC. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Union County, SC and Richland County, SC are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
