2023 Report: Cities in South Carolina where Household Expenses are Highest and Lowest
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 $1,853 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 $1,853 in household bills a month
The average South Carolina household pays $1,853 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 34th out of 50 states in terms of average monthly spending. Iowa ranks 33rd, with annual monthly expenses of $1,862, and North Dakota ranks 35th, at $1,842.
South Carolina’s household expenses, on average, are 9.4% lower than the national average of $2,046.
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 40% of their income on household bills.
Annually, South Carolina residents pay $40 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: $1,853 per month
- State Bill Pay Market Size: $40 billion
- doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: 34 out of 50
- Percent of HHI Used for Bills: 40%
- Difference from the National Average: 9.4% lower
Housing bill category drives South Carolina’s low monthly bill expenses
The average South Carolina household pays $1,853 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 $1,151, and average rent is $1,010, compared to the national average mortgage bill of $1,321 and rent bill of $1,191.
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 lower than the national average. The average auto loan bill in South Carolina is $445 a month, compared to the national average of $467.
Compared to the national average, utilities are also a notably lower expense for residents of South Carolina. The average household in the state pays $298 a month for utilities, compared to the national average of $351.
Auto insurance, by contrast, is more expensive in South Carolina. While US residents on average spend $207 per month on car insurance, in South Carolina they spend $221.
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 Category | Average South Carolina Monthly Bill | National Average Monthly Bill | South Carolina Percent +/- National Average ($2,046) |
| Mortgage | $1,151 | $1,321 | 13% lower |
| Rent | $1,010 | $1,191 | 15% lower |
| Auto Loan | $445 | $467 | 5% lower |
| Utilities | $298 | $351 | 15% lower |
| Auto Insurance | $221 | $207 | 7% higher |
| Cable & Internet | $122 | $118 | 3% higher |
| Health Insurance | $109 | $120 | 9% lower |
| Mobile Phone | $109 | $119 | 8% lower |
| Alarm & Security | $82 | $84 | 2% lower |
| Life Insurance | $91 | $89 | 2% higher |
| Total | $1,853 | $2,046 | 9.4% lower |
Mount Pleasant tops the list of most expensive cities for South Carolina’s household bills
Residents of Mount Pleasant pay the highest household bills in the state of South Carolina, at an average of $2,714 per month. Fort Mill comes second in the rankings, with residents paying $2,482 on average per month.
In proportion to household income, however, Mount Pleasant’s bills are slightly costlier than ones in Fort Mill. While Mount Pleasant’s monthly bill basket makes up 32% of average household income there, Fort Mill’s bill basket accounts for just 30% 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) | City | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household* | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 1 | Mount Pleasant | $2,714 | 32% |
| 2 | Fort Mill | $2,482 | 30% |
| 3 | Hilton Head Island | $2,416 | 33% |
| 4 | Bluffton | $2,388 | 37% |
| 5 | Ladson | $2,372 | 45% |
| 6 | Simpsonville | $2,322 | 33% |
| 7 | Johns Island | $2,311 | 31% |
| 8 | Charleston | $2,290 | 41% |
| 9 | Greer | $2,275 | 38% |
| 10 | Beaufort | $2,259 | 45% |
*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).
*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).
Bennettsville is the most affordable South Carolina city for household bills
Out of 85 cities and towns, Bennettsville is the most affordable place in South Carolina, with residents paying $1,243 on average for household bills. Household bills account for 45% of local income in Bennettsville.
Chester comes in at the second most affordable town or city in South Carolina, with residents paying $1,323 per month on average.
Also on the list of 10 least expensive cities in South Carolina are Loris ($1,336 per month), Hartsville ($1,394 per month), and Gaffney ($1,401 per month).
10 Most Affordable South Carolina Cities for Household Bills
| Rank (76-85 out of 85) | City | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 76 | Dillon | $1,463 | 46% |
| 77 | Union | $1,430 | 43% |
| 78 | Newberry | $1,412 | 41% |
| 79 | Westminster | $1,407 | 40% |
| 80 | Lake City | $1,406 | 43% |
| 81 | Gaffney | $1,401 | 46% |
| 82 | Hartsville | $1,394 | 37% |
| 83 | Loris | $1,336 | 41% |
| 84 | Chester | $1,323 | 37% |
| 85 | Bennettsville | $1,243 | 45% |
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.