Here’s how much space a $1,500 rent budget gets you in Columbia vs. other cities
Renting in 2026 doesn’t give as much apartment space as it used to for the same price, but in South Carolina, renters can get more value for their money.
In different parts of the country, it’s increasingly difficult to find a $1,500 apartment with more than two bedrooms. Not every place is the same, however.
In Texas, you can get a three- to four-bedroom apartment for the same price as an apartment in New York that’s the size of a dorm room.
RentCafe.com, a nationwide apartment search website, analyzed 200 cities across the country and ranked them based on how much apartment space you can get for $1,500.
“In nearly half of the cities we analyzed, a $1,500 monthly budget can get renters a one- or two-bedroom apartment — what most renters are searching for,” said Alexandra Both, a research analyst at RentCafe.com. “These apartment types make up the majority of available inventory today, and recently, one-bedroom units have become the most common type being built.”
Here’s where Columbia ranked and how it compares to other cities:
How much space can you get in Columbia for $1,500?
Columbia, like most cities, has seen its monthly rent increase year-over-year (1.5%), but SC’s capital is still much more affordable than other major hubs. According to Apartments.com, the average rent in Columbia is $1,183, which is 29% lower than the national average.
As a result, a renter in Columbia can get more bang for their buck when it comes to apartment space. For $1,500 a month, renters get 1,032 square feet, a comfortable one- or two-bedroom apartment that can hold an office or a proper dining area. The national average for $1,500 rent is 703 square feet.
Based on how much space a renter can get for $1,500, Columbia ranked 36th out of the 200 cities analyzed.
Columbia’s apartment space compared to Charleston
Charleston is only a two-hour drive from Columbia, but their apartment prices are vastly different.
RentCafe.com ranked Charleston 125th nationwide, and renters only get 716 square feet, a studio to a one-bedroom, for a $1,500 budget. That is only 13 more square feet than the national average of 703 square feet.
Compared to Charleston’s average rent, Columbia offers 44% more apartment space for $1,500. That 316-square-foot difference is roughly the size of a second bedroom and a bathroom.
Top 10 cities where $1,500 gets more apartment space
Columbia apartments may be more affordable than the majority of other cities, but these 10 cities, mostly located in the Southeast, have SC’s capital beat:
- McAllen, TX: 1,378 square feet for $1,500
- Macon, GA: 1,346 square feet for $1,500
- Columbus, GA: 1,335 square feet for $1,500
- Wichita, KS: 1,287 square feet for $1,500
- Jackson, MS: 1,287 square feet for $1,500
- Toledo, OH: 1,260 square feet for $1,500
- Little Rock, AR: 1,246 square feet for $1,500
- Oklahoma City, OK: 1,239 square feet for $1,500
- Amarillo, TX: 1,237 square feet for $1,500
- Tulsa, OK: 1,229 square feet for $1,500