Asheville, NC Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Asheville, NC Summary
Cost of living in Asheville 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 Asheville 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 Asheville is 115, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Asheville is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Asheville ranks as the #129 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.
Asheville ranks as the #4,090 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Asheville is $468,275.
The median income in Asheville is $67,221.
Table Of Contents
Asheville's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Asheville, NC?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Asheville has an overall cost of living index of 115, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to North Carolina, Asheville has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than North Carolina's index of 92.
The standard of living in Asheville ranks as #129 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Asheville ranks as the #28 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.
For more reading on life in Asheville, check out:
In North Carolina
In America
Asheville Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Asheville. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Asheville is 101.
The Groceries index in Asheville is 100.
The Health index in Asheville is 112.
The Housing index in Asheville is 146.
The Transportation index in Asheville is 94.
The Utilities index in Asheville is 106.
| Living Expense | Asheville | North Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 115 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 101 | 100 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 100 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 112 | 106 | 100 | |
| Housing | 146 | 86 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 94 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 106 | 95 | 100 | |
Asheville, 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 Asheville is $468,275.
The Median Rent in Asheville is $1,303.
The Median Income in Asheville is $67,221.
The Home Value To Income in Asheville is 7.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Asheville is 0.23x.
| Statistic | Asheville | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $468,275 | $332,681 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,303 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $67,221 | $69,904 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.0x | 4.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.23x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Asheville, NC Costs By Category
Detailed Asheville Services Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Asheville | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.33 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.07 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $15.89 | $18 |
| Haircut | $28.0 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $48.22 | $45.56 |
Detailed Asheville Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Asheville | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.47 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.46 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.61 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.27 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.44 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.44 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.8 | $3.7 |
Detailed Asheville Health Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Asheville | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $155.11 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $166.73 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $113.89 | $113.29 |
Detailed Asheville Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Asheville | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.29 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $49.99 | $59.92 |
Detailed Asheville Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Asheville | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $221.84 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.82 | $192.25 |
Asheville SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Asheville
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Asheville. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Hendersonville, NC has a cost of living index of 100, 0.9x Asheville.
Black Mountain, NC has a cost of living index of 109, 0.9x Asheville.
Fletcher, NC has a cost of living index of 108, 0.9x Asheville.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Asheville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hendersonville, NC | 15,253 | 100 | 0.9x |
| Black Mountain, NC | 8,462 | 109 | 0.9x |
| Fletcher, NC | 8,022 | 108 | 0.9x |
| Woodfin, NC | 7,957 | 110 | 1.0x |
| Etowah, NC | 7,765 | 103 | 0.9x |
| Mills River, NC | 7,214 | 110 | 1.0x |
