Cheap Apartments for Rent in Columbia, SC from $400 (250 Rentals)

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Search the lowest-cost Apartments available for rent right now in Columbia.

property at 711 S Holly St

711 S Holly St

ColumbiaSC29205
property at 1430 Gregg St

1430 Gregg St

ColumbiaSC29201

Know Your Rights - How Discrimination Laws Impact Landlords and Tenants

Read our practical guide to landlord and tenant rights. Understand protected classes, reasonable accommodations, and legal exceptions to prevent housing discrimination.

property at 1234 Winyah Dr

1234 Winyah Dr

ColumbiaSC29203

Columbia, SC Local Guide

Photo of Justin Habersaat - Editing Staff
Written By:
Justin Habersaat
Editing Staff

Cheapest Neighborhoods for Apartments in Columbia, SC

Pricing Updated: 04/18/2025

Current apartment rentals in the Columbia, SC area range in price from $560 to $10,950 with an overall median price of $5,415. The three Columbia neighborhoods with the lowest median rent pricing are Whitehall at $785, Lincolnshire at $819, and St Andrews at $571. Here is today’s list of the top 10 neighborhoods with the lowest median pricing for Columbia Apartments for rent:

NeighborhoodMedian PriceMin PriceAvailable Units
Whitehall$1,341$78547
Lincolnshire$1,425$819108
St Andrews$1,475$571248
Far North Columbia$1,525$571177
Pine Valley$1,525$571110
Deaswood$1,699$75596
Gregg Park$1,699$95066
The Summit$1,777$1,05072
Dentsville$1,803$819147
College Place$1,838$752116

Cheapest Available Columbia Apartments for Rent

 

The cheapest available apartment rental in Columbia, SC is a 1 Bed unit found at Acasa Prosper Fairways in the Lincolnshire neighborhood priced from $700. Park SC in the Skyland Estates neighborhood has the second lowest priced unit, which is a 1 Bed apartment currently listed from $780. Here is today’s list of the most affordable Columbia apartments for rent:

Apartment ListingModel NameBed/BathPriced From
Acasa Prosper Fairways1X1_6781BR,1BA$700
Park SC1 bed 1 bath A11BR,1BA$780
Autumn Ridge1 Bed 1 BathAutumn Ridge1BR,1BA$785
Colonial Pointe ApartmentsStudioStudio,1BA$799
Grove at St. AndrewsE1Studio,1BA$816
GreenbrierAzalea1BR,1BA$819
The Villages at Congaree Pointe1 Bed, 1 bath1BR,1BA$831
2 Bedroom 1 BathWAITLIST ONLY - 2 Bedroom 1 bath1BR,1BA$835
Retreat at St. AndrewsA11BR,1BA$849
Springtree ApartmentsThe Ayers1BR,1BA$855

Best Value Apartments for Rent in Columbia, SC

As of April 19, 2025 the best value apartment in the Columbia area is the $0.91 price per square foot 2 Bed 2 BathWoodland Village Apartments Model at Woodland Village Apartments in the in the Irmo neighborhood starting from $1,175. The second greatest value Columbia apartment is the 2 Bedroom Model at Wyndham Pointe Apartments starting at $1,211 with a $0.98 price per square foot in the Dentsville neighborhood. Here is today’s list of the best values for Columbia apartments based on price per square foot:

Apartment ListingModel NameBed/BathPrice Per Sq.Ft.
Woodland Village Apartments2 Bed 2 BathWoodland Village Apartments2BR,2BA$0.91
Wyndham Pointe Apartments2 Bedroom2BR,2BA$0.98
Quail Hollow ApartmentsThe Cardinal 2 Bedroom2BR,2BA$0.88
Acasa River Crest3x2.5_11963BR,2.5BA$0.89
21 OaksC13BR,3BA$0.63
Endora East2 Bedroom 2 Bath2BR,2BA$1.00
Harbison GardensTwo Bedrooms2BR,2BA$0.99
Deerfield Run Apartments2 Beds, 2 baths2BR,2BA$0.93
Yugo Columbia Lofts2 Bed, 1 Bath Plus2BR,1BA$0.83
2 Bedroom 1 BathWAITLIST ONLY - 2 Bedroom 1 bath1BR,1BA$0.98

Quick Rent Budget Calculator

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Columbia Overview

Columbia, South Carolina is a city filled with vibrant culture, enormous education, and profound history. It offers residents a warm escape from the Winter and easy ways to travel that range from solid public transit to three major interstate highways. Residents are able to enjoy dozens of festivals, concerts, and sporting events each year and can easily drive to nearby cities such as Savannah, Charleston, Myrtle Beach, or even Atlanta. Best of all, living in Columbia apartments is a very affordable experience, allowing residents to experience big city life far cheaper than they can in other metropolitan areas.

Why live in Columbia, SC?

Columbia has the best of both worlds, offering you the major benefits of living in a big city while still retaining the very affordable cost of living that much of the South is known for. There is a diverse array of cultural and entertainment options, and seven distinct colleges, making it an ideal place to complete or enhance your education. The three interstate highways make it easy to either travel around town or to make a quick trip to places like Charlotte, Savannah, or Atlanta. And with plenty of options for affodable apartments in Columbia, finding a great place to live is a cinch.

Pet Friendly Lifestyle
Columbia, SC

Ranked #3

Among cities in South Carolina for Apartment listings with Pet Friendly Amenities

Pet Friendliness Lifestyle Score

2.5
Pet Friendly

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Remember the 3 Rules of Real Estate:
Location, Location, Location!

Explore Columbia, SC Rentals by Map

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Getting Around Columbia, SC

Walk Score®

45 / 100

Car-Dependent

Most errands require a car

Bike Score®

38 / 100

Somewhat Bikeable

Minimal bike infrastructure

Transit Score®

17 / 100

Minimal Transit

It may be possible to get on a bus

Columbia, SC Area Reviews

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Gwendolyn2+ years in Columbia

February 25, 2025

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Frequently Asked Questions about Cheap Columbia Apartments

What is a cheap apartment in Columbia?

A cheap apartment is any apartment up to the 30% percentile of cost for the area, which in Columbia is under $855.

What is the price of a cheap apartment in Columbia?

The cheapest apartment in Columbia is Acasa Prosper Fairways which is listed at $700, while the average apartment in Columbia costs $5,415.

What types of apartments are the cheapest in Columbia?

Student, low-income, and by-the-bed apartments are typically the cheapest rentals in most cities, though they require qualifying criteria to rent. There are 714 regular apartments in Columbia that we think qualify as ‘cheap apartments’ that do not have special requirements to apply to rent.

How do the prices of cheap apartments compare to the average apartment in Columbia?

Cheap apartments in Columbia have an average cost of $299 which is $5,116 cheaper than the average rent for all rentals in Columbia.

Expert Rental Resources

Helpful Apartment Articles, How-To's and Tips

The rental experts at ApartmentHomeLiving.com provide you with top advice, tools, and tips for understanding the leasing process and finding the perfect rental. Here are a few helpful rental and leasing articles from our experts to guide you on your search.

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Understanding Amenity Fees: Know Where You Might Be Able to Save Money

Written by: Amber Kanuckel

With the rising costs of housing, a lot of renters are asking this question: Is it possible to opt out of various amenities that your rental property offers so that you can avoid paying the fees.

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Know Your Rights - How Discrimination Laws Impact Landlords and Tenants

Written by: Christine Leonard, Esq.

Everyone needs a place to live and to call home. For decades, the federal government has established protections to ensure that individuals and families can find housing free from discriminatory barriers.

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Renting Smart: Lease Basics Every Renter Needs

Written by: Christine Leonard, Esq.

Often, in the excitement of finding a new place to live, there’s a rush to make it happen, and - too often - a new tenant signs a lease without reading it carefully.

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Battling the Butts: Your Guide to the Reality of Smoke-Free Renting

Written by: Andrea Lee Negroni, JD

While many apartment buildings are “no smoking” properties, it’s hard to know exactly how many. In 2017, the National Apartment Association reported more than half of rental properties had smoke free policies.