Cost of Living in South Dakota Cities: These Are the Top 5

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South Dakota has an outstanding location in the north-central area in the United States.

Moreover, this state has a part in the Great Plains.

It borders North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana.

South Dakota has a name from the Dakota Sioux Native American tribes and Lakota.

By its total size area – it is in the seventeenth place of all U.S States and 5th least populous.

The state capital city in South Dakota is Pierre, while the largest city – Sioux Falls.

Living in this state will definitely make you enormously happy since traditionally, South Dakota ranks as one of the joyful states in the world.

There are always career and job opportunities, good education options, and no state income taxes.

But – how about the cost of living here?

Keep reading the post until the end, and you will also find out which cities are the top five most expensive cities in South Dakota.

The Cost of Living in This State

Unfortunately, South Dakota has a not-so-cheap cost of living.

Actually, the living cost here is around $1,800, or almost the same as the national state’s cost of living.

Let’s have a deeper look at each cost individually, such as housing, utility, transportation, and food expenses.

Housing Costs

Compared will the other US States, South Dakota has the ten highest costs for housing.

Here, home prices are around $199,900, or almost $200,000.

As so, we can sup up that housing expenses in South Dakota are pretty the same as national standard prices.

On the other hand, here is the shortlist of the rent prices.

The regular adult individual in South Dakota expects to spend around $850 per month on housing.

One-bedroom apartment in this state is for $600 per month, while an apartment with six bedrooms – $950.

However, those housing prices are not everywhere in this state that low-costed.

Some cities like Pierre, Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen, and Brookings, have an average rent price from $1,000 to $1,800.

Utility Costs

In South Dakota, the monthly bill for utilities covered all basics, such as electricity, heating, garbage, and water, and is around $250.

That price is lower than expected national prices for utilities.

However, it doesn’t include extra items like the Internet.

The regular monthly expenses for Internet with unlimited data is around $55 to $65 in some expensive cities.

Also, here is a price for using a cell phone – the intermediate monthly cost is about $80.

Transportation Costs

South Dakota, in general, has an exclusive organized transport system across its territory.

Also, you have many variants where to buy public transport tickets – in the bus, online, or even in local markets.

But, all these prices are enormously high.

Even more, the typical cost of gas is overpriced – it costs $2,90.

Food Costs

Food expenses generally vary depending on where you live in this state.

In General, one person living in South Dakota spends approximately $2,990 on food annually.

As an illustration – the national standard for food costs for a single person is $3.300.

However, South Dakota has various supermarkets and healthy restaurants, so no one citizen here pays attention to the high prices for the meals.

The Most Expensive Cities in South Dakota

And what is the most interesting in this state are absolutely happening in these most expensive cities.

In the text below, you can read about the top five most expensive cities in South Dakota, from the state capital city Pierre, Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen to Brookings.

Pierre

Pierre is the capital city of this state.

Also, it is usually recognized for its high cost of living too.

Housing expenses in Pierre are like this – for one regular home, the prices are from 400,000 up, while this price can be even higher in some period of the year- to enormously $750,000.

Renting a one-bedroom apartment should cost you much more than $1,000, and this price for a unit can be higher than $2,120.

Enjoying your perfect dinner with one more person in a mid-range restaurant is pretty much higher than $70, which is a fancy price for one dinner.

Naturally, there are a lot of activities and museums to be seen here in the capital city.

But you better have a lot of money to allow yourself to enjoy visiting Pierre.

Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls is the largest city in South Dakota.

It has plenty of exotic flowers, historic architecture, and clean public lands.

Also in this city is The Great Plains Zoo & Delbridge Museum of Natural History.

As assumed, there is really a high cost of living here.

The regular prices for homes are around $500,000.

And, even more, the price rent for a studio can be $790.

As for other essential things for a living, they are also pretty expensive.

Rapid City

The third city on our list here is The Rapid City.

It is one of the top five most expensive cities in South Dakota.

And here are the reasons why.

The average expense for a house is roughly $550,000, and the rent price for a studio – $1,000.

Food prices are a little less competitive – compared to the capital city but still have a high price.

One drink in the local pub in the center area in Rapid City is $8 up.

One gallon of milk in the supermarket is not less than $3, and water (small bottle) from $1.25 up.

Aberdeen

To be continued with the list – here is the city Aberdeen.

The utility bills on monthly basics in this city are the most expensive.

It varies from $300 to $350, including just water, garbage, and electricity.

As for the Internet, the price per one month can be $100.

Other expenses like transportation, food, healthcare are all above the national standard lines.

That is why Aberdeen ranks as one of the most expensive cities in the state of South Dakota.

Brookings

The last one for this state, but not the cheapest, is Brookings.

In Brookings, the prices for essential things are exactly like the costs in previously mentioned cities.

That means that from housing to food expenses – all is highly costed.

However, Brookings is one of the best cities that need to be visited, so do not bother with its high cost of living.

You will definitely be in love with this fabulous city.

South Dakota Safety Overview

READ THE FULL REPORT: South Dakota Safety Review

Safety Index:

77

• OVERALL RISK: LOW
• TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: MEDIUM
• PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
• NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
• MUGGING RISK: LOW
• TERRORISM RISK: LOW
• SCAMS RISK: LOW
• WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW