Apex, NC Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Apex, NC Summary

Cost of living in Apex research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Apex is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in North Carolina, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Apex is 122, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Apex is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Apex ranks as the #143 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • Apex ranks as the #4,541 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Apex is $605,133.

  • The median income in Apex is $138,442.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
122
Apex's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Apex, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Apex has an overall cost of living index of 122, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Carolina, Apex has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than North Carolina's index of 92.

The standard of living in Apex ranks as #143 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Apex ranks as the #14 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Apex, check out:

143 out of 157
In North Carolina
4,541 out of 6,489
In America

Apex Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Apex. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Apex is 100.

  • The Groceries index in Apex is 96.

  • The Health index in Apex is 113.

  • The Housing index in Apex is 175.

  • The Transportation index in Apex is 94.

  • The Utilities index in Apex is 96.

Living Expense Apex North Carolina National Average
Overall 122 92 100
Services 100 100 100
Groceries 96 99 100
Health 113 106 100
Housing 175 86 100
Transportation 94 93 100
Utilities 96 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Apex Cost of Living Vs. NC

Apex, NC Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in North Carolina, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Apex is $605,133.

  • The Median Rent in Apex is $1,784.

  • The Median Income in Apex is $138,442.

  • The Home Value To Income in Apex is 4.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Apex is 0.15x.

Statistic Apex North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $605,133 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent $1,784 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $138,442 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.4x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.15x 0.2x 0.21x
$605,133
Median Home Value
$1,784
Median Rent
$138,442
Median Income

Apex, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Apex Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Apex North Carolina
Shampoo $1.09 $1.28
Movie $10.27 $12.13
Bowling $11.0 $18
Haircut $19.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $29.58 $45.56

Detailed Apex Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Apex North Carolina
Ground Beef $5.93 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.59 $1.57
Milk $4.57 $4.67
Potatoes $5.18 $4.93
Pizza $10.47 $12.09
Beer $10.29 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.65 $3.7

Detailed Apex Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Apex North Carolina
Optometrist $141.56 $125.68
Doctor $136.38 $135.78
Dentist $100.17 $113.29

Detailed Apex Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Apex North Carolina
Gasoline $3.45 $3.46
Tire Balancing $63.55 $59.92

Detailed Apex Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Apex North Carolina
All Electricity $201.14 $193.99
Phone $187.32 $192.25

Apex SnackAbility

9.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
9
Affordability
8
Diversity
8
Safety
8.5
Amenities
9
Education
9.5
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Apex

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Apex. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Raleigh, NC has a cost of living index of 112, 0.9x Apex.

  • Durham, NC has a cost of living index of 107, 0.9x Apex.

  • Cary, NC has a cost of living index of 125, 1.0x Apex.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Apex
Raleigh, NC 470,763 112 0.9x
Durham, NC 288,465 107 0.9x
Cary, NC 176,686 125 1.0x
Chapel Hill, NC 59,889 129 1.1x
Holly Springs, NC 43,429 125 1.0x
Fuquay-Varina, NC 37,749 114 0.9x
Garner, NC 32,543 106 0.9x
Morrisville, NC 30,471 120 1.0x
Carrboro, NC 21,170 121 1.0x
Angier, NC 5,746 94 0.8x

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