Estimated Home Price
$445,000
Typical 2-3 BR; metro housing index applied to national median
Estimated Monthly Rent
$1,950
Comparable 2-3 BR rental in Charleston, SC
Property Tax Rate
0.57%
Effective rate, South Carolina
Estimated Mortgage
$2,187/mo
20% down, 30-year fixed at 6.23%
Break-Even
never (within 30 years)
When buying net worth catches renting + invested down payment
10-Year Net Worth
$293,563
Buyer (vs renter $378,412)
The Verdict for Charleston, SC
Renting tends to win over a 10-year horizon at current Charleston, SC rents and prices — the higher home price and ownership costs outpace Charleston, SC's rents.
National 2025 averages used for the rest: 6.23% mortgage rate, 3.5% home appreciation, 8% investment return, 24% marginal tax bracket, no itemising, 10-year horizon, South regional defaults. Your situation differs — adjust below.
What this calculation accounts for
- Buyer side: mortgage P&I, property tax, homeowner's insurance, maintenance (1% of home value annually), HOA, closing costs (3% buying / 6% selling), tax-deductible mortgage interest if itemising.
- Renter side: rent escalating 3%/year; the down payment + closing costs and the monthly cash savings vs ownership invested at 8% annualised.
- Apples-to-apples comparison: the renter is assumed to invest the difference, not spend it. If you wouldn't actually invest it, ownership wins by a wider margin via forced savings.
- Not modelled: moving costs, recurring transaction friction, the option value of mobility, your own preference for stability vs flexibility.
Charleston, SC cost-of-living context
Charleston, SC's housing cost is at index 106 against the U.S. national average of 100 — meaning housing here costs roughly 106% of the national average. The composite cost-of-living index is 100.
See the full cost of living comparison to compare Charleston, SC against your current city, or the mortgage calculator to size payments at different prices.