Cost to Own
United StatesSouth CarolinaCharleston CountySullivan's Island Population 2,127 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Sullivan's Island, South Carolina

A $2,000,000 home here costs

$13,782

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $10,282. The real number is $3,500 higher every month — 34% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Sullivan's Island median: $2,000,001
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $1,600,000 borrowed $10,282
Property tax0.394% effective rate for Sullivan's Island itself $657
Homeowners insuranceSouth Carolina averages $1,432/yr (NAIC), or 0.578% of home value $963
Electricity16.18¢/kWh — South Carolina residential average, EIA $145
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $1,667
Total monthly $13,782

Sullivan's Island against Charleston County and South Carolina

MeasureSullivan's IslandCharleston County
Median home value$2,000,001$450,800
Median property tax$7,885$1,864
Effective tax rate0.394%0.413%
Median gross rent$2,402$1,506
Population2,127414,711

The weather behind that power bill

Sullivan's Island sits in Charleston County, which averages a high of 87.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 43.6°F in its coldest, with 44.26" of precipitation a year and 37% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,448 cooling and 1,623 heating degree days, which is what sets the $145 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Charleston County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Charleston County

Full Charleston County cost breakdown · Every county in South Carolina

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Sullivan's Island?

A $2,000,000 home in Sullivan's Island, South Carolina costs approximately $13,782 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $10,282 principal and interest, $657 property tax, $963 homeowners insurance, $213 utilities and $1,667 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Sullivan's Island?

Sullivan's Island has an effective property tax rate of 0.394%, based on a median home value of $2,000,001 and median real estate taxes of $7,885. That is lower than the Charleston County average of 0.413%.

What is the average home price in Sullivan's Island?

The median owner-occupied home value in Sullivan's Island, South Carolina is $2,000,001, against $450,800 across Charleston County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Sullivan's Island?

Median gross rent in Sullivan's Island is $2,402 a month, against $13,782 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Sullivan's Island — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
  • Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for South Carolina.
  • Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
  • Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
  • Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.

Full methodology