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.
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:
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 | |
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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Item | Apex | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $141.56 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $136.38 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $100.17 | $113.29 |
| Item | Apex | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.45 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $63.55 | $59.92 |
| Item | Apex | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $201.14 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.32 | $192.25 |
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 |