South ranking
13 North Carolina cities ranked by cost of living, cheapest first.
Index 74
Index 121
Sorted by cost-of-living index — lowest (most affordable) first.
| # | City | Cost index | Median rent | Median income | Population | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greenville | 74 | $933/mo | $47,485 | 88K | Compare → |
| 2 | Winston-Salem | 75 | $956/mo | $54,416 | 250K | Compare → |
| 3 | High Point | 81 | $1,030/mo | $58,582 | 114K | Compare → |
| 4 | Greensboro | 83 | $1,048/mo | $55,051 | 297K | Compare → |
| 5 | Gastonia | 85 | $1,075/mo | $58,047 | 81K | Compare → |
| 6 | Fayetteville | 88 | $1,117/mo | $53,424 | 209K | Compare → |
| 7 | Wilmington | 96 | $1,213/mo | $58,908 | 117K | Compare → |
| 8 | Asheville | 99 | $1,250/mo | $63,810 | 94K | Compare → |
| 9 | Concord | 99 | $1,259/mo | $83,480 | 105K | Compare → |
| 10 | Durham | 102 | $1,296/mo | $74,710 | 284K | Compare → |
| 11 | Raleigh | 108 | $1,371/mo | $78,631 | 466K | Compare → |
| 12 | Charlotte | 110 | $1,399/mo | $74,070 | 875K | Compare → |
| 13 | Cary | 121 | $1,538/mo | $125,317 | 175K | Compare → |
Across North Carolina, Greenville is the most affordable city we track (cost index 74, with median rent around $933/mo), while Cary sits at the top of the range with an index of 121—roughly 65% pricier than Greenville. Use the table above to compare any North Carolina city directly against Greenville.
The other end of the ranking — priciest first.