Cost to Own
United StatesSouth CarolinaHorry CountySurfside Beach Population 4,217 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Surfside Beach, South Carolina

A $412,000 home here costs

$2,988

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

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,118. The real number is $870 higher every month — 41% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Surfside Beach median: $412,100
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, $329,600 borrowed $2,118
Property tax0.333% effective rate for Surfside Beach itself $114
Homeowners insuranceSouth Carolina averages $1,432/yr (NAIC), or 0.578% of home value $198
Electricity16.18¢/kWh — South Carolina residential average, EIA $145
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $343
Total monthly $2,988

Surfside Beach against Horry County and South Carolina

MeasureSurfside BeachHorry County
Median home value$412,100$260,500
Median property tax$1,371$879
Effective tax rate0.333%0.337%
Median gross rent$1,274$1,181
Population4,217368,937

The weather behind that power bill

Surfside Beach sits in Horry County, which averages a high of 90.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 35.2°F in its coldest, with 55.21" of precipitation a year and 37% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,141 cooling and 2,287 heating degree days, which is what sets the $145 electricity line above.

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

Other cities in Horry County

Full Horry County cost breakdown · Every county in South Carolina

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Surfside Beach?

A $412,000 home in Surfside Beach, South Carolina costs approximately $2,988 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,118 principal and interest, $114 property tax, $198 homeowners insurance, $213 utilities and $343 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Surfside Beach?

Surfside Beach has an effective property tax rate of 0.333%, based on a median home value of $412,100 and median real estate taxes of $1,371. That is in line with the Horry County average of 0.337%.

What is the average home price in Surfside Beach?

The median owner-occupied home value in Surfside Beach, South Carolina is $412,100, against $260,500 across Horry County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Surfside Beach?

Median gross rent in Surfside Beach is $1,274 a month, against $2,988 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 Surfside Beach — 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