Cost of Owning a Car in South Carolina
How South Carolina’s gas prices, electricity rates, sales tax and insurance costs affect what you’ll typically pay to own a vehicle.
South Carolina at a glance
Gas price
$3.20per gallon, illustrative averageElectricity
$0.13per kWh, illustrative averageSales tax
5.00%plus ~$40 average registrationInsurance in South Carolina runs close to the national average in this model, reflected as a 1.05× multiplier on our base class rates.
What drives the cost in South Carolina
Costs are pushed up mainly by insurance rates (about $442 more over 5 years). Working in your favor: gas prices (about $735 less over 5 years). (Figures are for a typical SUV compared with the average state.)
5-year cost by vehicle class in South Carolina
Uses real market-average vehicle prices per class (from our 152-vehicle MarketCheck pull) combined with South Carolina-specific tax, fee, fuel and insurance data.
Sedan
$33,3345-year estimate, $556/moSUV / crossover
$45,3905-year estimate, $757/moTruck
$47,5415-year estimate, $792/moElectric
$48,0695-year estimate, $801/moLuxury
$68,7725-year estimate, $1,146/moPopular vehicles: 5-year cost in South Carolina
2026 Toyota RAV4
$34,8065-year cost in South CarolinaFull breakdown →2026 Honda CR-V
$34,4645-year cost in South CarolinaFull breakdown →2026 Toyota Camry
$30,7445-year cost in South CarolinaFull breakdown →2026 Honda Civic
$26,6105-year cost in South CarolinaFull breakdown →2026 Ford F-150
$59,4015-year cost in South CarolinaFull breakdown →2026 Tesla Model Y
$38,2605-year cost in South CarolinaFull breakdown →2026 Chevrolet Equinox
$39,5295-year cost in South CarolinaFull breakdown →2026 Toyota Corolla
$26,5965-year cost in South CarolinaFull breakdown →EV vs. gas in South Carolina
At South Carolina’s $0.13/kWh electricity and $3.20/gal gas, charging a typical EV at home costs about $515 a year, versus about $1,239 a year to fuel a typical gas sedan — a savings of $724 per year. Run your own numbers with the EV vs. gas calculator.