Chapel Hill, NC Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Chapel Hill, NC Summary
Cost of living in Chapel Hill 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 Chapel Hill 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 Chapel Hill is 129, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Chapel Hill is 1.3x higher than the national average.
Chapel Hill ranks as the #151 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.
Chapel Hill ranks as the #4,942 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Chapel Hill is $634,875.
The median income in Chapel Hill is $85,825.
Table Of Contents
Chapel Hill's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Chapel Hill, NC?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Chapel Hill has an overall cost of living index of 129, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to North Carolina, Chapel Hill has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than North Carolina's index of 92.
The standard of living in Chapel Hill ranks as #151 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Chapel Hill ranks as the #6 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.
For more reading on life in Chapel Hill, check out:
In North Carolina
In America
Chapel Hill Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Chapel Hill. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Chapel Hill is 94.
The Groceries index in Chapel Hill is 98.
The Health index in Chapel Hill is 102.
The Housing index in Chapel Hill is 202.
The Transportation index in Chapel Hill is 95.
The Utilities index in Chapel Hill is 89.
| Living Expense | Chapel Hill | North Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 129 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 94 | 100 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 102 | 106 | 100 | |
| Housing | 202 | 86 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 95 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 89 | 95 | 100 | |
Chapel Hill, 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 Chapel Hill is $634,875.
The Median Rent in Chapel Hill is $1,483.
The Median Income in Chapel Hill is $85,825.
The Home Value To Income in Chapel Hill is 7.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Chapel Hill is 0.21x.
| Statistic | Chapel Hill | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $634,875 | $332,681 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,483 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $85,825 | $69,904 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.4x | 4.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.21x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Chapel Hill, NC Costs By Category
Detailed Chapel Hill Services Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Chapel Hill | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.33 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $12.19 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $20.0 | $18 |
| Haircut | $28.2 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $50.33 | $45.56 |
Detailed Chapel Hill Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Chapel Hill | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.28 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.36 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.64 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.99 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.73 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.46 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.85 | $3.7 |
Detailed Chapel Hill Health Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Chapel Hill | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $126.46 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $146.71 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $136.77 | $113.29 |
Detailed Chapel Hill Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Chapel Hill | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.32 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $42.85 | $59.92 |
Detailed Chapel Hill Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Chapel Hill | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $161.71 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.82 | $192.25 |
Chapel Hill SnackAbility
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Cost Of Living In Cities Around Chapel Hill
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Chapel Hill. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Durham, NC has a cost of living index of 107, 0.8x Chapel Hill.
Cary, NC has a cost of living index of 125, 1.0x Chapel Hill.
Apex, NC has a cost of living index of 122, 0.9x Chapel Hill.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Chapel Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham, NC | 288,465 | 107 | 0.8x |
| Cary, NC | 176,686 | 125 | 1.0x |
| Apex, NC | 67,765 | 122 | 0.9x |
| Morrisville, NC | 30,471 | 120 | 0.9x |
| Carrboro, NC | 21,170 | 121 | 0.9x |
| Mebane, NC | 18,899 | 100 | 0.8x |
| Hillsborough, NC | 9,656 | 111 | 0.9x |
