Sod installation cost in Myrtle Beach, SC
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (1,500 sq ft)
- $1,350 – $3,000
- Per sq ft
- $0.90 – $1.85
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −8%
- US $2,400
- Rank of 300 metros
- #270
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to lay sod in Myrtle Beach, plan on $1,350 to $3,000 for 1,500 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $0.90 to $1.85 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 8% lower than the national one. Landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn a median of $16.54 an hour in the Myrtle Beach area, 12% below the US median of $18.82.
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Estimated cost for 1,500 sq ft in Myrtle Beach, SC, standard level
$1,850 to $2,550
About $1.20 to $1.55 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 44% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $940 | $1,250 |
| Labor | $840 | $1,100 |
| Permits and fees | $85 | $200 |
| Total | $1,850 | $2,550 |
Cost breakdown for 1,500 sq ft in Myrtle Beach, SC
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $720 | $1,100 | $1,450 | 49% |
| Labor | $650 | $970 | $1,300 | 44% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $140 | $280 | 6% |
| Total | $1,350 | $2,200 | $3,000 | 100% |
Why Myrtle Beach prices look the way they do
The wage side of the estimate leans on landscaping and groundskeeping workers, who do 80% of the hours on a typical job. Their local median is $16.54 an hour. Add the other trades involved and the blended wage index for Myrtle Beach is 0.87 (US = 1.00), which puts labor at 44% of the total.
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Myrtle Beach metro is 96.3 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 1,500 sq ft comes to $1,100, compared with $1,150 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (93.6) and land at $0 to $280.
Is Myrtle Beach cheap or dear? The local comparison
Of the five closest metros, none is cheaper than Myrtle Beach. Florence comes closest at about $2,200.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myrtle Beach, SCthis page | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,200 | |
| Florence, SC50 miles | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | +1% |
| Wilmington, NC60 miles | $1,450 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +4% |
| Fayetteville, NC80 miles | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | +3% |
| Charleston, SC85 miles | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | +5% |
| Columbia, SC120 miles | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | +3% |
| South Carolina (statewide) | $1,400 – $3,150 | $2,250 | +3% |
| United States | $1,500 – $3,300 | $2,400 | +9% |
Across 300 US metros, Myrtle Beach comes in at #270 from the top. The priciest is Kahului, HI at $2,900; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $2,000 (midpoints, 1,500 sq ft). Statewide, Myrtle Beach is 3% below the South Carolina figure.
Other South Carolina metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville, SC | 434,900 jobs | $1,400 – $3,150 | $2,300 | +4% |
| Columbia, SC | 394,200 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | +3% |
| Charleston, SC | 394,170 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | +5% |
| Spartanburg, SC | 165,150 jobs | $1,400 – $3,100 | $2,250 | +3% |
| Florence, SC | 89,060 jobs | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | +1% |
| Hilton Head, SC | 81,920 jobs | $1,450 – $3,200 | $2,300 | +5% |
Cities with a workforce like Myrtle Beach's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Myrtle Beach against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo, ND | 148,660 jobs | $1,550 – $3,400 | $2,500 | +13% |
| Vallejo, CA | 144,130 jobs | $1,700 – $3,700 | $2,700 | +22% |
| Killeen, TX | 150,580 jobs | $1,400 – $3,050 | $2,200 | +1% |
| Huntington, WV | 140,740 jobs | $1,350 – $3,000 | $2,150 | −1% |
Climate in Myrtle Beach: timing your sod lawn job
We use NOAA's 1991-2020 climate normals for Myrtle Beach (5 miles from the city center). These are 30-year monthly averages, not forecasts.
Weather is not a serious constraint for digging, grading and setting material in the ground in Myrtle Beach: no month in the averages is cold enough (an average overnight low at or below freezing (32°F)) or hot enough (an average daytime high of 90°F or more) to rule it out, so the workable window is all year.
Myrtle Beach gets about 54 inches of precipitation in a normal year. The wettest months are July, August and September (6.8 inches in September). The station averages about 22 days a year at 90°F or above.
Does the season change the price? Probably, but we do not have a sourced seasonal price curve, so the estimator shows a year-round figure and does not adjust by month. When you collect quotes, ask whether scheduling in a slower month gets a better rate.
| Month | Avg high °F | Avg low °F | Precip (in) | For this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56 | 34 | 3.4 | Workable |
| Feb | 58 | 36 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Mar | 64 | 42 | 3.7 | Workable |
| Apr | 72 | 51 | 3.4 | Workable |
| May | 79 | 60 | 3.8 | Workable |
| Jun | 85 | 68 | 4.8 | Workable |
| Jul | 87 | 72 | 6.6 | Workable |
| Aug | 87 | 70 | 6.3 | Workable |
| Sep | 83 | 65 | 6.8 | Workable |
| Oct | 76 | 54 | 4.1 | Workable |
| Nov | 66 | 42 | 3.1 | Workable |
| Dec | 59 | 36 | 3.8 | Workable |
Sod installation: what moves the price in Myrtle Beach
Site prep
The cost listed here assumes leveled, cleared ground. Grading and soil amendments are extra.
Permit
Sodding permits cost $40-$300 where required, mostly for large lawns or those next to a public road.
Old grass removal
Removing an old lawn first adds $0.50-$2.00 per sq ft, and a full remove-and-resod runs $1.50-$4.00 per sq ft (HomeGuide).
Cost by quality level and size in Myrtle Beach
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Myrtle Beach wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$1,350 to $2,050
Basic grass on cleared, level ground
Standard
$1,850 to $2,550
Better grass type with some grading
Premium
$2,350 to $3,000
Premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| small yard (1,000 sq ft) | $910 – $1,400 | $1,250 – $1,750 | $1,650 – $2,100 |
| average yard (1,500 sq ft) | $1,350 – $2,050 | $1,850 – $2,550 | $2,350 – $3,000 |
| large yard (4,000 sq ft) | $3,650 – $5,250 | $4,850 – $6,400 | $6,000 – $7,600 |
Myrtle Beach labor market for sod lawn
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Myrtle Beach is 0.87 times the national level.
For landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011, weighted 80%) the local median is $16.54 an hour, which is 12% below the national $18.82. The middle half of them earn between $14.44 and $17.96 an hour. BLS counts 1,590 of them working in the area, 108.7 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 61.3), so the local bench is deeper than average.
Construction laborers (47-2061), 20% of the weighting: a median of $18.37 an hour, 19% below the US median of $22.66. The middle half of them earn between $17.32 and $22.65 an hour. About 1,440 work in the metro. That is 98.5 per 10,000 jobs, compared with 70.5 nationally, which suggests plenty of local crews to bid.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the landscaping and groundskeeping workers on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($17.96 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $70. At the 25th percentile ($14.44) it shrinks by about $100. The total moves by 3.1% or 4.6%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 146,260 jobs in the Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach area. That makes it the 157th largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.09% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landscaping and groundskeeping workers (37-3011) | 80% | $14.44 | $16.54 | $17.96 | $18.82 | 0.88 | metro |
| Construction laborers (47-2061) | 20% | $17.32 | $18.37 | $22.65 | $22.66 | 0.81 | metro |
| Blended | 100% | 0.87 | |||||
Planning more than one job in Myrtle Beach?
Because every project leans on different trades, Myrtle Beach's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, French drain runs −11% and sprinkler system −13%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| French drain | 60 linear ft | $530 – $1,850 | −11% |
| Sprinkler system | 4,000 sq ft of lawn | $3,500 – $8,700 | −13% |
| Retaining wall | 200 sq ft of wall face | $6,000 – $12,000 | −12% |
| Gravel driveway | 1,000 sq ft | $2,200 – $9,000 | −12% |
| Inground pool | 450 sq ft | $31,500 – $98,400 | −13% |
Get 3 local quotes
Tell us about the job and we will try to connect you with up to three local contractors for written quotes. It is free and you are under no obligation to hire. Your estimate of $1,850 to $2,550 for Myrtle Beach, SC is attached.
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Sod installation in Myrtle Beach: your questions
+How much does it cost to lay sod in Myrtle Beach?
For 1,500 sq ft, expect $1,350 to $3,000 in the Myrtle Beach area. A standard-spec job lands at $1,850 to $2,550. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for sod lawn in Myrtle Beach?
About $0.90 to $1.85 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $280 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $1 to $2.
+Is sod lawn cheaper in Myrtle Beach or Florence?
Florence is 50 miles away. The midpoint for 1,500 sq ft there is $2,200, which is 1% more than Myrtle Beach ($2,200). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Myrtle Beach?
About 44% at the midpoint, or $970 out of $2,200. Materials are 49% and permits 6%. Nationally, labor is 47%.
+What would average yard (1,500 sq ft) cost in Myrtle Beach?
$1,350 to $3,000. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does sod lawn need a permit in Myrtle Beach?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $280 for fees in the Myrtle Beach area (our national range of $0 to $300 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Myrtle Beach expensive for sod lawn compared with the rest of South Carolina?
Myrtle Beach is 3% below the South Carolina statewide estimate ($2,250 at the midpoint). We cover 7 metros in South Carolina; see the state page to compare them.
+What do landscaping and groundskeeping workers earn in Myrtle Beach?
The BLS median is $16.54 an hour in the Myrtle Beach area, compared with $18.82 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $14.44 to $17.96.
+What do basic and premium sod lawn work cost in Myrtle Beach?
For 1,500 sq ft, basic work runs $1,350 to $2,050 and premium work $2,350 to $3,000. Basic means: basic grass on cleared, level ground. Premium means: premium sod, soil work, difficult slopes.
+Is there a bad season to lay sod in Myrtle Beach?
Not from a temperature point of view. NOAA's 1991-2020 normals show no month with a freezing-level overnight low or a 90°F-plus average high, so timing is mostly about contractor availability and rain.
Sod installation near Myrtle Beach
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.