Bedroom count
Property type
Last updated on June 17, 2026
Average rent in
Columbia, SC
Average rent in
Last updated on June 17, 2026
Bedroom count
Property type
Key takeaways for renters
Where Columbia rent stands today
Columbia, SC rent rose 4.0% year over year, with a current median of $1,555/month. Month-to-month rent is essentially flat as the market remains near its peak for June 2026, with rents about $48 below that peak level.
Compared to national trends
Columbia, SC sits 20.3% more affordable than the $1,950/month national median, offering a mid-tier market for renters with 648 total rentals available across the city.
Price ranges
Studios in Columbia run around $970/month, 1-bedrooms around $1,025/month, and 2-bedrooms around $1,295/month, with 3-bedrooms at $1,795/month and 4+ bedrooms at $2,275/month. Houses have a median rent of $1,795/month, while apartments sit at $1,250/month.
Neighborhood spotlight
Bull Street rents fell 65.7% year over year to $1,200/month across 20 rentals, a notable local decline compared to the citywide 4.0% rise. East Lake and Heathwood West also saw declines of 62.8% and 58.7% respectively.
Median rent
Median rent in Columbia
$1,555/mo
4%vs previous year
The average rent in Columbia is $1,555 per month as of June 2026. This is 20% below the national average rent, or $395 less per month.
average price per square foot
Total rentals
Available rentals in Columbia
648
for rent on Zumper.com as of June 2026
Rent price distribution
Share of Columbia rentals at each price point
Rent trends in Columbia, SC
Average rent prices in Columbia have remained the same over the last month and have increased by 4% since last year.
Rent trends
Rent prices on this page are calculated on a rolling 30-day basis and updated daily.
Compare rent prices in
Columbia, SC
Rent prices in Columbia vary by bedroom size, rental type, and neighborhood. The average rent for an apartment in Columbia is $1,250, whereas a house costs $1,795. 1-bedroom apartments in Columbia run $1,029 on average, while 2-bedroom apartments are $1,250.
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Studio | $970 |  3% | 3% | |
1 bedroom | $1,025 | 1% | 4% | |
2 bedroom | $1,295 | 1% | 2% | |
3 bedroom | $1,795 | 1% | 3% | |
4 bedroom | $2,275 | 2% | 16% |
Listings | ||
|---|---|---|
Central Rosewood | $1,700 | |
Colonial Park | $1,300 | |
Earlewood | $1,872 | |
Elmwood Park | $2,100 | |
Lyon Street | $2,295 | |
Olympia | $2,250 | |
Shandon | $1,537 | |
South Kilbourne | $1,350 | |
The Congaree Vista | $1,825 | |
University Hills | $2,287 |
Listings | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Apartments | $1,250 | 3% | No Change | |
Condos | $1,250 | No Change | No Change | |
Houses | $1,795 | 1% | No Change | |
Rooms | $1,025 | No Change | - |
Studio
Average rent
$970
Last 30 days
3%
Last year
3%
1 bedroom
Average rent
$1,025
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
4%
2 bedroom
Average rent
$1,295
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
2%
3 bedroom
Average rent
$1,795
Last 30 days
1%
Last year
3%
4 bedroom
Average rent
$2,275
Last 30 days
2%
Last year
16%
South Kilbourne
Average rent
$1,350
Shandon
Average rent
$1,537
Earlewood
Average rent
$1,872
Olympia
Average rent
$2,250
University Hills
Average rent
$2,287
Lyon Street
Average rent
$2,295
Central Rosewood
Average rent
$1,700
Colonial Park
Average rent
$1,300
Elmwood Park
Average rent
$2,100
The Congaree Vista
Average rent
$1,825
Apartments
Average rent
$1,250
Last 30 days
3%
Condos
Average rent
$1,250
Last 30 days
No Change
Houses
Average rent
$1,795
Last 30 days
1%
Rooms
Average rent
$1,025
The table above reflects average rent prices in Columbia, SC, broken down by the number of bedrooms, neighborhoods, and property types. The availability of data for each category is dependent on market inventory and will adjust depending on your selected filters.
How does rent in Columbia, SC compare to other cities?
Compare median rent prices in Columbia and Augusta by all bedroom counts and property types.
Columbia
20%lower than the national median
31%lower than the national median
Takeaway
The median rent for all rentals in Columbia, SC is 15% higher than the median rent in Augusta, GA.
Average rent in nearby cities
Explore rent trends in neighboring markets
$1,350
6%$2,200
12%$1,450
21%$1,100
$1,600
20%$2,000
5%$2,045
17%$1,872
7%$2,400
23%$1,949
9%$1,899
7%$1,250
4%Cost of living in Columbia, SC
Explore the cost of essential expenses, and then use our rent calculator to find out how much rent you can afford.
Expenses accrued by most renters | Average cost compared to national average |
|---|---|
| Goods & Services | 1% lower |
| Groceries | 1% lower |
| Health | 1% lower |
| Housing | 29% lower |
| Transportation | 8% lower |
| Utilities | No difference |
Discover rentals in Columbia, SC
3d ago
1513 Farrington Way, Columbia, SC 29210
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$555–$1,735
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Booker Washington Heights apartment for rent in Columbia
2 beds
1 bath
$775
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Condo for rent in Columbia
4 beds
4.5 baths
$780
Condo for rent
Available Aug 1
20h ago
3700 West Ave, Columbia, SC 29203
1–2 beds
1 bath
$800–$850
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Wales Garden house for rent in Columbia
106 Pickens St #B, Columbia, SC 29205
4 beds
2 baths
$5,500
House for rent
Available Aug 5
5d+ ago
Apartment for rent in Columbia
1408 Gregg Street #A, Columbia, SC 29201
5 beds
3 baths
$5,000
Apartment for rent
Available Jul 6
5d+ ago
3925 Rosewood Dr, Columbia, SC 29205
4 beds
2 baths
$4,800
Apartment for rent
5d+ ago
Shandon apartment for rent in Columbia
319 Howard St, Columbia, SC 29205
5 beds
3 baths
$4,630
Apartment for rent
2h ago
Verified
4615 Forest Dr, Columbia, SC 29206
Studio–3 beds
1–3 baths
$1,512–$6,715
Price drop
Apartment for rent
9h ago
Verified
1310 Oakcrest Dr, Columbia, SC 29223
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$1,353–$4,261
Apartment for rent
Available Jun 17
21h ago
Verified
1340 N Brickyard Rd, Columbia, SC 29223
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$1,466–$2,232
Apartment for rent
1d ago
Verified
2050 N Beltline Blvd, Columbia, SC 29204
Studio–3 beds
1–2 baths
$793–$1,042
Apartment for rent
4h ago
Verified
1051 Southern Dr, Columbia, SC 29201
1 bed
1 bath
$1,067
Apartment for rent
2h ago
Verified
4615 Forest Dr, Columbia, SC 29206
Studio–3 beds
1–3 baths
$1,512–$6,715
Price drop
Apartment for rent
9h ago
Verified
1310 Oakcrest Dr, Columbia, SC 29223
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$1,353–$4,261
Apartment for rent
Available Jun 17
21h ago
Verified
1340 N Brickyard Rd, Columbia, SC 29223
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$1,466–$2,232
Apartment for rent
9h ago
Verified
1310 Oakcrest Dr, Columbia, SC 29223
1–3 beds
1–2 baths
$1,353–$4,261
Apartment for rent
Available Jun 17
22h ago
Verified
4615 Forest Dr, Columbia, SC 29206
1 bed
1 bath
$1,907–$3,390
Price drop
Apartment for rent
18h ago
Verified
701 Gervais St, Columbia, SC 29201
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$1,977–$2,199
Apartment for rent
6h ago
3900 Bentley Dr, Columbia, SC 29210
1–2 beds
1–2 baths
$829–$1,225
Apartment for rent
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Frequently asked questions for Columbia, SC
Quick answers to common questions about the Columbia rental market.
How much is rent in Columbia?
The average rent in Columbia is $1,555 per month as of June 13, 2026.
Is rent up or down in Columbia?
Average rent prices in Columbia have remained the same over the last month and have increased by 4% since last year.
How does Columbia rent compare to the national average?
Rent in Columbia is 20% below the national average, which means renters are paying approximately $395 less per month.
Which neighborhoods are most affordable in Columbia?
The most affordable neighborhoods in Columbia are Colonial Park ($1,300/mo), South Kilbourne ($1,350/mo), and Shandon ($1,537/mo).
What salary do I need to afford rent in Columbia?
To comfortably afford rent in Columbia, you'd need to earn approximately $62,000/year, based on spending no more than 30% of your income on rent.
When is the best time of year to rent in Columbia?
Columbia's 2025 rental market shows one-bedroom apartments averaging around $1,100 per month, while two-bedroom units average around $1,300 monthly. These figures reflect the current market conditions across the city's diverse neighborhood options.
Methodology
Rent prices are based on Zumper's rental listings from the past 30 days. Median rent is calculated across all available listings and property types on the platform. If you filter the page by bedroom count or property type, the pricing throughout the page will update automatically to reflect that segment of the rental market.
Household and population data come from the U.S. Census Bureau. Cost-of-living data is sourced from the Council for Community and Economic Research's Cost of Living Index (COLI).