Want to live and work in Myrtle Beach?

Myrtle Beach is historically one of the cheapest cities to live in on the American East Coast. Rent for a one-bedroom apartment outside the tourist zone typically falls between 1,100 and 1,500 dollars, while three-bedroom homes in residential neighborhoods like Carolina Forest range from 1,800 to 2,400 dollars in monthly rent. Buying a home is still feasible for the middle class, with median prices historically below the national average.

Grocery shopping follows Southern patterns: chains like Food Lion, Publix, and Walmart offer competitive prices, and Latino markets on Socastee Boulevard serve the Hispanic community with fresh products at lower prices. Eating out varies widely, from seafood buffets for under 25 dollars in winter to tourist oceanfront restaurants charging 60 to 80 dollars per person in summer.

What weighs on the budget is home insurance, made more expensive by hurricane risk, and the electric bill between June and September, when the air conditioning runs nonstop. South Carolina does not charge state tax on Social Security retirement income, which helps those who move here after 65. Fuel and property taxes are below the American average.

Myrtle Beach's economy is driven by tourism, which directly supports about one third of the region's jobs. Hotels, restaurants, water parks like Family Kingdom, and attractions like Broadway at the Beach hire year-round, with starting wages generally near the state minimum plus tips. In summer, demand surges and there are openings on nearly every corner.

Outside of tourism, the healthcare sector is the second-largest employer, anchored by Grand Strand Medical Center, Conway Medical Center, and the Tidelands Health network. Nurses, technicians, and physical therapists find good placement, especially given the aging profile of the population. Construction also employs many people, serving the continuous growth of condos and homes in Carolina Forest and the surrounding area.

For newly arrived immigrants without full documentation, it is common to start in restaurant kitchens, landscaping, condo cleaning, and construction. Those arriving with technical skills in hospitality, golf, or refrigeration tend to settle in quickly. Remote jobs are a growing reality, with many people working from home for companies in other states and taking advantage of the lower cost of living.

The region has healthcare infrastructure above average for a city of this size, precisely because it serves an aging population and millions of tourists per year. Grand Strand Medical Center, affiliated with HCA, is the main hospital, with a Level III trauma emergency room, advanced cardiology, and a cancer center. Conway Medical Center serves the western region and has a strong reputation in maternity and orthopedics.

The Tidelands Health network operates two regional hospitals, in Murrells Inlet and Georgetown, plus clinics throughout the area. For minor emergencies, urgent care clinics like Doctors Care and CareNow are everywhere and take walk-ins, with costs between 150 and 300 dollars without insurance. Specialty doctors exist in reasonable numbers, especially cardiologists, orthopedists, and oncologists.

The big challenge for immigrants is the insurance system. South Carolina did not expand Medicaid, so low-income childless adults generally do not qualify. Those with formal employment typically have a plan through their employer, and the federal Marketplace is the route for the self-employed. Without insurance, a basic doctor visit costs between 200 and 350 dollars, and an emergency room visit can easily exceed 2,000. Some community clinics, like HopeHealth, offer sliding-scale fees based on income.

Myrtle Beach was built around the car, and residents depend on it for everything. Highway 17, which runs parallel to the ocean, is the city's backbone and gets congested every summer. Highway 31, known as the Carolina Bays Parkway, helps bypass oceanfront traffic and connects Carolina Forest to North Myrtle Beach smoothly. Highway 501 links Myrtle Beach to Conway and the state's interior.

Coast RTA operates the public bus lines, serving mainly tourism workers and students. The routes are useful for reaching the mall and the oceanfront, but low frequency and limited hours make the service impractical for those working outside business hours. Biking is feasible in some planned neighborhoods like Market Common and on bike paths in North Myrtle.

Myrtle Beach International Airport, MYR, sits next to downtown and operates direct flights to more than 50 cities in the United States, served by carriers like Spirit, Allegiant, American, Delta, and United. There are no regular international flights, but connections via Charlotte, Atlanta, or Philadelphia are short. Uber and Lyft work well year-round.

Myrtle Beach culture is a curious blend of deep Southern tradition with the colorful aesthetic of American beach towns. The region has roots in fishing, colonial rice farming, and the Gullah Geechee culture of African American communities that have lived along the coast for generations. These elements show up in cuisine, music, and the architecture of older homes.

Live music is central to social life. House of Blues at Barefoot Landing, The Bowery on Ocean Boulevard, and dozens of smaller bars play country, blues, classic rock, and shag, a regional dance declared South Carolina's official state dance. Food means seafood above all: local shrimp, oysters from Murrells Inlet, bluefish, and the famous low country boil served on newspaper across the table.

The calendar has events that shape local life. Carolina Country Music Fest in June packs the beach, the Sun Fun Festival celebrates the start of summer, and Brookgreen Gardens hosts cultural festivals and exhibits year-round. In fall, motorcycle events like Myrtle Beach Bike Week draw tens of thousands of visitors. Christmas is taken seriously, with light festivals at Broadway at the Beach.

The immigrant community in Myrtle Beach reflects the city's tourism economy. Hispanic workers, mainly from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, form the largest group and drive kitchens, landscaping, condo cleaning, and construction. Their presence is strongest in Socastee and parts of Conway, with Spanish-language markets, restaurants, and churches spread along Highway 544 and Socastee Boulevard.

An Eastern European community has established itself since the 2000s, primarily coming from Ukraine, Russia, Moldova, and Romania. Many initially arrived through the J-1 visa program and later secured sponsorship to stay. In Forestbrook and some Carolina Forest neighborhoods, one can find Russian markets, Orthodox churches like Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church, and self-employed professionals serving the community.

Immigrants from the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Philippines are also a visible presence, generally working in healthcare, hospitality management, or as retirees. There are smaller communities of Brazilians, Indians, and Venezuelans growing in recent years. For newcomers, organizations like New Directions of Horry County, Catholic Charities of South Carolina, and the public library's ESL program offer initial guidance, English classes, and help with documents.