Elder Care Cost in Columbia, SC (2026)
Assisted living in Columbia, SC averages $3,900/month (13% below national avg). Nursing home private room: $8,000/month. In-home aide: $4,700/month.
Source: Genworth/CareScout Cost of Care Survey 2024–2025
Assisted Living
$3,900
per month
Nursing Home
$8,000
private room
In-Home Aide
$4,700
44 hrs/week
Memory Care
$5,500
per month
Adult Day Care
$1,350
per month
How Columbia, SC compares
Care type
Assisted Living
Columbia, SC
$3,900/mo
National avg
$4,500/mo
Nursing Home
private room
$8,000/mo
$9,733/mo
In-Home Aide
44 hrs/week
$4,700/mo
$5,339/mo
Memory Care
$5,500/mo
$6,200/mo
Annual costs in Columbia, SC
Assisted living
$46,800/year
or $3,900/month
Nursing home (private room)
$96,000/year
or $8,000/month
Most families need 2–4 years of care on average. At Columbia, SC assisted living rates, that's $93,600–$187,200 total before insurance or Medicaid.
Columbia, SC vs South Carolina statewide average
Assisted living
Columbia, SC is same as the state average
Nursing home (private)
Understanding care types in Columbia, SC
Assisted Living — $3,900/mo
Private apartment-style living with meals, housekeeping, medication management, and help with bathing or dressing. Good fit when someone needs regular support but not 24-hour nursing. No Medicare coverage. Most families pay privately.
Nursing Home — $8,000/mo
24-hour skilled nursing care. Required when someone needs ongoing medical attention — wound care, IV medications, physical therapy. Medicare covers the first 100 days after a qualifying hospital stay; Medicaid pays for long-term stays for those who qualify.
In-Home Aide — $4,700/mo
A home health aide comes to the house — typically 44 hours/week based on survey methodology. Covers personal care, light housekeeping, and companionship. Part-time (20 hrs/week) runs roughly $2,400/month in Columbia, SC.
Memory Care — $5,500/mo
A secured unit within or attached to an assisted living facility, designed for residents with Alzheimer's or other dementias. Higher staff ratios and specialized programming push costs $1,600/month above standard assisted living in Columbia, SC.
Nearby cities
Charleston, SC
$4,100/mo
assisted living
Greenville, SC
$3,900/mo
assisted living
Myrtle Beach, SC
$4,000/mo
assisted living
Boise, ID
$4,400/mo
assisted living
Wichita, KS
$4,200/mo
assisted living
Columbia, MO
$3,700/mo
assisted living
Hartford, CT
$6,100/mo
assisted living
Cleveland, OH
$4,200/mo
assisted living
Bellevue, WA
$6,200/mo
assisted living
Full South Carolina data
Statewide averages, Medicaid coverage details, and all care-type breakdowns.
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