$520,000 buys the median home in Charleston right now. With 20% down, that's a $104,000 down payment and a $416,000 loan, set against a $78,000 median household income.
At a 0.5% effective rate, Charleston property taxes add $217 to the monthly payment on the median home, $2,600 a year in total.
Between the $3,130/month mortgage payment and South Carolina's state income tax, your real housing cost calculation needs your after-tax number, not your gross salary.
Beyond housing, Charleston's cost of living index sits at 113 (national average = 100), running above the national baseline for groceries, transportation, and everyday services.
Charleston's median home price runs 104% higher than nearby Columbia: $255,000 there versus $520,000 here.