Bal Harbour, FL vs Isle of Palms, SC: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Isle of Palms, SC has a modeled overall cost index 27.6% lower than Bal Harbour, FL.

Bal Harbour, FL · modeled 2BR rent: $3,070 / month
Isle of Palms, SC · modeled 2BR rent: $2,680 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Bal Harbour, FL and Isle of Palms, SC using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Bal Harbour, FL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $1,940/month in Isle of Palms, SC

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $126,721 in Isle of Palms, SC

Regional cost estimates: Bal Harbour, FL uses Miami, FL. Isle of Palms, SC uses Fayetteville, NC. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 27.6%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,940

Savings

Annual Impact

$23.3K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Bal Harbour, FL

Population:3K

Cost Index:

109.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$1.13M

Isle of Palms, SC

Population:4K

Cost Index:

79.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$1.58M

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Bal Harbour, FL

The Sunshine State

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Florida, this city has a population of 3K residents.

💡 Advantage: Florida has no state income tax!

Isle of Palms, SC

The Palmetto State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in South Carolina, this city has a population of 4K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Bal Harbour, FL vs Isle of Palms, SC

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Bal Harbour, FL	Isle of Palms, SC	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,710/mo	$1,571/mo	↓ $1,139less	42.0%
Other	$1,707/mo	$1,270/mo	↓ $437less	25.6%
Transportation	$1,193/mo	$950/mo	↓ $243less	20.3%
Groceries	$933/mo	$816/mo	↓ $117less	12.5%
All Utilities	$449/mo	$442/mo	↓ $7.10less	1.6%
Healthcare	$509/mo	$511/mo	↑ $2.49more	0.5%

Housing

↓ 42.0%

Bal Harbour, FL

$2,710

Isle of Palms, SC

$1,571

Difference

$1,139

less

Other

↓ 25.6%

Bal Harbour, FL

$1,707

Isle of Palms, SC

$1,270

Difference

$437

less

Transportation

↓ 20.3%

Bal Harbour, FL

$1,193

Isle of Palms, SC

$950

Difference

$243

less

Groceries

↓ 12.5%

Bal Harbour, FL

$933

Isle of Palms, SC

$816

Difference

$117

less

All Utilities

↓ 1.6%

Bal Harbour, FL

$449

Isle of Palms, SC

$442

Difference

$7.10

less

Healthcare

↑ 0.5%

Bal Harbour, FL

$509

Isle of Palms, SC

$511

Difference

$2.49

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$2,300

To$2,330

↑ $30.00

1 Bed

From$2,510

To$2,440

↓ $70.00

2 Bed

From$3,070

To$2,680

↓ $390

3 Bed

From$3,940

To$3,330

↓ $610

Bal Harbour, FLZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,510–$2,510/mo

Isle of Palms, SCZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,440–$2,440/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Bal Harbour, FL

$5,560

Monthly in Isle of Palms, SC

$1,940

Difference

Home Values

Bal Harbour

Isle of Palms

$1.13M

Median Value

$1.58M

↓ -1.4%

YoY Change

↑ +1.6%

↑ +58.9%

5-Year Change

↑ +85.2%

Homes in Isle of Palms are 39% more expensive than Bal Harbour

Calculate payment - Bal Harbour Calculate payment - Isle of Palms

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $10.0K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$830

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

6.6%

Rate difference

Bal Harbour, FL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Florida State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Isle of Palms, SC

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

South Carolina State Tax

Effective: 6.6%

$10.0K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.3%

$47.0K

Take-Home Pay

$8,586/month

$103.0K

Additional Tax Information

Bal Harbour, FL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%

Property Tax:0.8%

Isle of Palms, SC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.4%

Property Tax:0.6%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Bal Harbour

Isle of Palms

48 Good

Air Quality

46 Good

59.8%

Good Air Days

63.7%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

89 Moderate

🌊🌅🌀

Top Hazards

🌀🌪

▲+2.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

15 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

▲+2.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

15 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

Before moving from Bal Harbour, FL to Isle of Palms, SC

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Isle of Palms, SC for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Bal Harbour, FL. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Bal Harbour to Isle of Palms moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Isle of Palms, SC by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Bal Harbour, FL vs Isle of Palms, SC

How do the cost estimates for Bal Harbour, FL and Isle of Palms, SC compare?

Isle of Palms, SC has a modeled overall cost index 27.6% lower than Bal Harbour, FL. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Bal Harbour, FL, the model estimates $126,721 in Isle of Palms, SC. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Bal Harbour, FL and Isle of Palms, SC?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $3,070/month in Bal Harbour, FL and $2,680/month in Isle of Palms, SC. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Florida and South Carolina on TaxTakeHome.com