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 95.
The standard of living in Asheville ranks as #130 most affordable out of the 159 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Asheville ranks as the #29 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.
For more reading on life in Asheville, check out:
Asheville Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Asheville. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Asheville is 102.
The Groceries index in Asheville is 97.
The Health index in Asheville is 146.
The Housing index in Asheville is 102.
The Transportation index in Asheville is 98.
The Utilities index in Asheville is 104.
| Living Expense | Asheville | North Carolina | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 115 | 95 | 100 |
| Services | 102 | 98 | 100 |
| Groceries | 97 | 98 | 100 |
| Health | 146 | 89 | 100 |
| Housing | 102 | 100 | 100 |
| Transportation | 98 | 97 | 100 |
| Utilities | 104 | 101 | 100 |
Asheville Cost Of Living Compared To North Carolina Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
- Most Expensive Cities In North Carolina
- Most Affordable Cities In North Carolina
- Average Rent In North Carolina
Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Asheville is $460,993.
The Median Rent in Asheville is $1,402.
The Median Income in Asheville is $71,102.
The Home Value To Income in Asheville is 6.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Asheville is 0.24x.
| Statistic | Asheville | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $460,993 | $336,407 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,402 | $1,228 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $71,102 | $72,388 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 6.5x | 4.6x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.24x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
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
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 102, 0.9x Asheville.
Black Mountain, NC has a cost of living index of 108, 0.9x Asheville.
Fletcher, NC has a cost of living index of 111, 1.0x Asheville.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Asheville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hendersonville, NC | 15,408 | 102 | 0.9x |
| Black Mountain, NC | 8,513 | 108 | 0.9x |
| Fletcher, NC | 8,098 | 111 | 1.0x |
| Woodfin, NC | 8,048 | 112 | 1.0x |
| Etowah, NC | 7,968 | 106 | 0.9x |
| Mills River, NC | 7,281 | 113 | 1.0x |
