Folly Beach, SC vs Lookout Mountain, TN: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Lookout Mountain, TN has a modeled overall cost index 7.9% higher than Folly Beach, SC.

Folly Beach, SC · modeled 2BR rent
$2,530 / month
Lookout Mountain, TN · modeled 2BR rent
$1,900 / 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

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓
Tap to swap

Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Folly Beach, SC and Lookout Mountain, TN 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

$
Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $587/month in Lookout Mountain, TN

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $157,040 in Lookout Mountain, TN

Regional cost estimates: Folly Beach, SC uses Fayetteville, NC. Lookout Mountain, TN uses Atlanta, GA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↑ 7.9%
More expensive
Monthly Impact
$587
Extra cost
Annual Impact
$7.0K
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.

Folly Beach, SC

Population:2K
Cost Index:
75.0
100 = national average
Typical Home:$1.06M

Lookout Mountain, TN

Population:2K
Cost Index:
80.9
100 = national average
Typical Home:$986K

Planning the move to Lookout Mountain?

Organize packing, address changes, and moving-day tasks with a free checklist. Your progress saves in this browser. No account needed.

Plan my move with the free checklist

Folly Beach, SC

The Palmetto State

2K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in South Carolina, this city has a population of 2K residents.

Lookout Mountain, TN

The Volunteer State

2K
Population
State Tax
No Income Tax

Located in Tennessee, this city has a population of 2K residents.

💡 Advantage: Tennessee has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Folly Beach, SC vs Lookout Mountain, TN

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.

Housing
↑ 11.3%
Folly Beach, SC
$2,100
Lookout Mountain, TN
$2,336
Difference
$236
more
Other
↑ 12.2%
Folly Beach, SC
$1,697
Lookout Mountain, TN
$1,904
Difference
$206
more
Transportation
↑ 12.8%
Folly Beach, SC
$1,270
Lookout Mountain, TN
$1,432
Difference
$162
more
All Utilities
↑ 9.0%
Folly Beach, SC
$607
Lookout Mountain, TN
$662
Difference
$54.59
more
Healthcare
↓ 5.2%
Folly Beach, SC
$703
Lookout Mountain, TN
$666
Difference
$36.79
less
Groceries
↓ 3.2%
Folly Beach, SC
$1,123
Lookout Mountain, TN
$1,086
Difference
$36.32
less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio
From$2,200
To$1,660
↓ $540
1 Bed
From$2,310
To$1,730
↓ $580
2 Bed
From$2,530
To$1,900
↓ $630
3 Bed
From$3,150
To$2,370
↓ $780
Folly Beach, SCZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,310–$2,310/mo

Lookout Mountain, TNZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,730–$1,730/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 Folly Beach, SC
$8,087
Monthly in Lookout Mountain, TN
$587
Difference

Home Values

Folly Beach
Lookout Mountain
$1.06M
Median Value
$986K
↓ -4.5%
YoY Change
↑ +3.3%
↑ +60.8%
5-Year Change
↑ +64.2%

Homes in Lookout Mountain are 7% less expensive than Folly Beach

Calculate payment - Folly BeachCalculate payment - Lookout Mountain

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
↑ $10.0K
Per year
Monthly Difference
$830
More take-home
Effective Rate Diff
6.6%
Rate difference

Folly Beach, 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

Lookout Mountain, TN

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Tennessee State Tax
No state income tax
$0
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 24.7%
$37.0K
Take-Home Pay
$9,416/month
$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

Folly Beach, SC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.4%
Property Tax:0.6%

Lookout Mountain, TN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.5%
Property Tax:0.7%

💡 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

Folly Beach
Lookout Mountain
46 Good
Air Quality
50 Good
63.7%
Good Air Days
50.8%
89 Moderate
Climate Risk
96 High
🌀🌪
Top Hazards
🌊🌪💨
▲+2.5°F
2050 Outlook
▲+2.7°F
36 days
Heat Days >95°F
28 days
▲+2.5°F
2050 Outlook
▲+2.7°F
36 days
Heat Days >95°F
28 days

Before moving from Folly Beach, SC to Lookout Mountain, TN

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

  1. Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Lookout Mountain, TN for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Folly Beach, SC. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Folly Beach to Lookout Mountain moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Lookout Mountain, TN by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Folly Beach, SC vs Lookout Mountain, TN

How do the cost estimates for Folly Beach, SC and Lookout Mountain, TN compare?

Lookout Mountain, TN has a modeled overall cost index 7.9% higher than Folly Beach, SC. 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 Folly Beach, SC, the model estimates $157,040 in Lookout Mountain, TN. 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 Folly Beach, SC and Lookout Mountain, TN?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,530/month in Folly Beach, SC and $1,900/month in Lookout Mountain, TN. 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 South Carolina and Tennessee on TaxTakeHome.com

Similar cost to Lookout Mountain, TN

Other cities in a similar price range

San Antonio, TXIndianapolis, INColumbus, OH

Want to compare different cities?

New Comparison