Cary, NC Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Cary, NC Summary
Cost of living in Cary 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 Cary 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 Cary is 125, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Cary is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Cary ranks as the #147 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.
Cary ranks as the #4,715 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Cary is $621,069.
The median income in Cary is $129,399.
Table Of Contents
Cary's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Cary, NC?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Cary has an overall cost of living index of 125, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to North Carolina, Cary has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than North Carolina's index of 92.
The standard of living in Cary ranks as #147 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Cary ranks as the #10 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.
For more reading on life in Cary, check out:
In North Carolina
In America
Cary Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Cary. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Cary is 97.
The Groceries index in Cary is 99.
The Health index in Cary is 111.
The Housing index in Cary is 183.
The Transportation index in Cary is 95.
The Utilities index in Cary is 97.
| Living Expense | Cary | North Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 125 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 97 | 100 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 99 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 111 | 106 | 100 | |
| Housing | 183 | 86 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 95 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 97 | 95 | 100 | |
Cary, 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 Cary is $621,069.
The Median Rent in Cary is $1,621.
The Median Income in Cary is $129,399.
The Home Value To Income in Cary is 4.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Cary is 0.15x.
| Statistic | Cary | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $621,069 | $332,681 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,621 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $129,399 | $69,904 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.8x | 4.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.15x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Cary, NC Costs By Category
Detailed Cary Services Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Cary | 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 Cary Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Cary | 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 Cary Health Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Cary | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $141.56 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $136.38 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $100.17 | $113.29 |
Detailed Cary Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Cary | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.45 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $63.55 | $59.92 |
Detailed Cary Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Cary | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $201.14 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.32 | $192.25 |
Cary SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Cary
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Cary. 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 Cary.
Durham, NC has a cost of living index of 107, 0.9x Cary.
Apex, NC has a cost of living index of 122, 1.0x Cary.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Cary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh, NC | 470,763 | 112 | 0.9x |
| Durham, NC | 288,465 | 107 | 0.9x |
| Apex, NC | 67,765 | 122 | 1.0x |
| Chapel Hill, NC | 59,889 | 129 | 1.0x |
| Holly Springs, NC | 43,429 | 125 | 1.0x |
| Fuquay-Varina, NC | 37,749 | 114 | 0.9x |
| Garner, NC | 32,543 | 106 | 0.8x |
| Morrisville, NC | 30,471 | 120 | 1.0x |
| Carrboro, NC | 21,170 | 121 | 1.0x |
| Knightdale, NC | 19,532 | 105 | 0.8x |
