Insights » Where South Carolina's 2022 Household Expenses are the Highest

Where South Carolina’s Household Expenses are the Highest in 2022

South Carolina

How does living in the Palmetto state affect your wallet? doxo breaks down key insights about South Carolina’s household expenses, with a close eye to how bills differ in towns and cities across the state. The average household in South Carolina, doxo’s data reveals, pays $1,783 in bills per month.

doxo’s data also has infographics for 85 cities and towns across South Carolina, breaking down localized bill pay data figures as well. The state-wide rankings for most and least expensive cities provide insight into cost of living in South Carolina and how it changes according to location.

The data sheds light on South Carolina’s cost of living through other metrics, too. For example, the “percent of household income” data point shows what percentage of household income local residents spend on bills. doxo’s data also indicates how much more or less expensive specific cities are than the national and state average.

South Carolina residents pay $1,783 in household bills a month

The average South Carolina household pays $1,783 a month for the 10 most common household bills. This figure takes into account the 10 most common household bills, which are: Mortgage; Rent; Auto Loan; Utilities (electric, gas, water & sewer, and waste & recycling); Auto Insurance; Cable & Internet & Phone, Health Insurance (consumer paid portion); Mobile Phone; Alarm & Security; and Life Insurance.

South Carolina residents, overall, get a good deal on their bills: the state ranks 33rd out of 50 states in terms of average monthly spending. Iowa ranks 32nd, with annual monthly expenses of $1,784, and Idaho ranks 34th, at $1,777.

South Carolina’s household expenses, on average, are 11% lower than the national average of $2,003.

Absolute dollar amounts don’t tell the full story, however. The “percentage of household income” metric provides a more proportional look at bill spending in a particular location. South Carolina households spend 41% of their income on household bills.  For example, Connecticut is the 6th most expensive state and New York is the 7th most expensive, but New York residents spend 39% of their income on bills, while Connecticut residents spend only 35%. 

Annually, South Carolina residents pay $39 billion in household bills. See more data about bill pay in South Carolina by clicking on the infographic link below.

Data: doxoINSIGHTS’ bill pay infographic about South Carolina

  • Average Bill Cost per HH: $1,783 per month
  • State Bill Pay Market Size: $39 billion
  • doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: 33 out of 50
  • Percent of HHI Used for Bills: 41%
  • Difference from the National Average: 11% lower

Housing bill category drives South Carolina’s low monthly bill expenses

The average South Carolina household pays $1,783 in the 10 most common household bills per month. Rent and mortgage expenses drive savings, with both being considerably lower than the national average. The average mortgage payment in South Carolina is $1,076, and average rent is $910, compared to the national average mortgage bill of $1,368 and rent bill of $1,129.

Other than housing-related expenses, auto loans are the most significant of the 10 most common bills for residents of South Carolina. Still, these expenses are still lower than the national average. The average auto loan bill in South Carolina is $412 a month, compared to the national average of $433.

Compared to the national average, utilities are also a notably lower expense for residents of South Carolina. The average household in the state pays $369 a month for utilities, compared to the national average of $295.

Auto insurance, by contrast, is more expensive in South Carolina. While US residents on average spend $196 per month on car insurance, in South Carolina they spend just $212.

Note: Health Insurance and Life Insurance expenses do not account for payments made by employers on behalf of employees. These just include out-of-pocket expenses. Also, the state and national bill totals take into account the percentage of households that pay a bill.

Average South Carolina Household Bill Spending

Bill CategoryAverage South Carolina Monthly BillNational Average Monthly BillSouth Carolina Percent +/- National Average ($2,003)
Mortgage$1,076$1,36821% lower
Rent$910$1,12919% lower
Auto Loan$412$4335% lower
Utilities$295$32810% lower
Auto Insurance$212$1968% lower
Cable & Internet$120$1145% higher
Health Insurance$120$1232% lower
Mobile Phone$109$1134% lower
Alarm & Security$70$8417% lower
Life Insurance$89$829% higher
Total$1,783$2,00311.0% lower

Hilton Head Island tops the list of most expensive cities for South Carolina’s household bills

Residents of Hilton Head Island pay the highest household bills in the state of South Carolina, at an average of $2,569 per month. Bluffton comes second in the rankings, with residents paying $2,524 on average per month.

In proportion to household income, however, Hilton Head Island’s bills are costlier than ones in Bluffton. While Hilton Head Island’s monthly bill basket makes up 41% of average household income there, Bluffton’s bill basket accounts for just 43% of average household income in that area.

Access detailed infographics about each city or town by clicking on the hyperlinks in the “City” column in the tables below. You can also browse doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to see infographics about more than 4,200 cities and towns across all 50 states in the US.

10 Most Expensive South Carolina Cities for Household Bills

Rank
(1-10 out of 85)
CityMonthly Bill Expenses Per Household*Percent of Household Income Used for Bills
1Hilton Head Island$2,56941%
2Bluffton$2,52443%
3Mount Pleasant$2,47332%
4Charleston$2,18543%
5Fort Mill$2,16629%
6Greer$2,08038%
7Ladson$2,06941%
8Okatie$2,06236%
9Johns Island$2,04033%
10Clemson$2,01757%

*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).

Kingstree is the most affordable South Carolina city for household bills

Out of 85 cities and towns, Kingstree is the most affordable place in South Carolina, with residents paying $1,363 on average for household bills. Household bills account for 53% of local income in Piedmont.

Chesnee comes in at the second most affordable town or city in South Carolina, with residents paying $1,433 per month on average.

Also on the list of 10 least expensive cities in South Carolina are Lake City ($1,446 per month), Loris ($1,446 per month), and Gaffney ($1,446 per month).

10 Most Affordable South Carolina Cities for Household Bills

Rank
(76-85 out of 85)
CityMonthly Bill Expenses Per HouseholdPercent of Household Income Used for Bills
76Darlington$1,47856%
77Abbeville$1,47248%
78Manning$1,46746%
79Liberty$1,46636%
80Westminster$1,45242%
81Gaffney$1,44645%
82Loris$1,44650%
83Lake City$1,44645%
84Chesnee$1,43338%
85Kingstree$1,36353%

In the wake of the rise of remote work, some individuals may be deciding whether to move from a more expensive city to a less expensive one. doxoINSIGHTS can be a valuable resource for consumers seeking to make key decisions like this, allowing them to compare South Carolina’s household expenses against average bills in different cities and states across the country. They can also use doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to compare average costs for over 900 towns and cities across the country.