Asheville, NC Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

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 106, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Asheville is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Asheville ranks as the #122 cheapest in North Carolina out of 153.

  • Asheville ranks as the #3,772 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Asheville is $319,400.

  • The median income in Asheville is $58,193.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
106
Asheville's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
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 106, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Carolina, Asheville has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than North Carolina's index of 95.

The standard of living in Asheville ranks as #122 most affordable out of the 153 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Asheville ranks as the #31 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Asheville, check out:

122 out of 153
In North Carolina
3,772 out of 6,412
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 96.

  • The Health index in Asheville is 118.

  • The Housing index in Asheville is 107.

  • The Transportation index in Asheville is 101.

  • The Utilities index in Asheville is 106.

Living Expense Asheville North Carolina National Average
Overall 106 95 100
Services 101 97 100
Groceries 96 98 100
Health 118 108 100
Housing 107 91 100
Transportation 101 92 100
Utilities 106 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Asheville Cost of Living Vs. NC

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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Asheville is $319,400.

  • The Median Rent in Asheville is $1,152.

  • The Median Income in Asheville is $58,193.

  • The Home Value To Income in Asheville is 5.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Asheville is 0.24x.

Statistic Asheville North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $319,400 $197,500 $244,900
Median Rent $1,152 $988 $1,163
Median Income $58,193 $60,516 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.5x 3.3x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.2x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Asheville, NC
$319,400
Median Home Value
$1,152
Median Rent
$58,193
Median Income

Asheville, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Asheville Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Asheville North Carolina
Shampoo $1.13 $1.06
Movie $12.49 $10.68
Bowling $15.0 $14.67
Haircut $25.0 $18.62
Beauty Salon $50.0 $39.05

Detailed Asheville Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Asheville North Carolina
Ground Beef $4.12 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.19 $1.39
Milk $1.79 $2.05
Potatoes $3.69 $3.29
Pizza $10.49 $10.62
Beer $10.16 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.69 $2.34

Detailed Asheville Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Asheville North Carolina
Optometrist $117.32 $108.57
Doctor $116.59 $116.17
Dentist $128.33 $99.13

Detailed Asheville Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Asheville North Carolina
Gasoline $2.19 $2.22
Tire Balancing $56.16 $50.07

Detailed Asheville Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Asheville North Carolina
All Electricity $185.77 $167.67
Phone $179.92 $175.64

Asheville SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
8
Safety
3
Amenities
9
Education
8.5
Commute
9

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 98, 0.9x Asheville.

  • Black Mountain, NC has a cost of living index of 101, 1.0x Asheville.

  • Fletcher, NC has a cost of living index of 104, 1.0x Asheville.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Asheville
Hendersonville, NC 14,878 98 0.9x
Black Mountain, NC 8,386 101 1.0x
Fletcher, NC 7,935 104 1.0x
Woodfin, NC 7,771 95 0.9x
Etowah, NC 7,464 99 0.9x
Mills River, NC 7,082 105 1.0x

Articles About North Carolina

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