Chapel Hill, NC Cost Of Living

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

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 118, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Chapel Hill is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Chapel Hill ranks as the #146 cheapest in North Carolina out of 153.

  • Chapel Hill ranks as the #4,687 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Chapel Hill is $454,300.

  • The median income in Chapel Hill is $77,037.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
118
Chapel Hill's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
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 118, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Carolina, Chapel Hill has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than North Carolina's index of 95.

The standard of living in Chapel Hill ranks as #146 most affordable out of the 153 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Chapel Hill ranks as the #7 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Chapel Hill, check out:

146 out of 153
In North Carolina
4,687 out of 6,412
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 92.

  • The Groceries index in Chapel Hill is 95.

  • The Health index in Chapel Hill is 96.

  • The Housing index in Chapel Hill is 182.

  • The Transportation index in Chapel Hill is 95.

  • The Utilities index in Chapel Hill is 93.

Living Expense Chapel Hill North Carolina National Average
Overall 118 95 100
Services 92 97 100
Groceries 95 98 100
Health 96 108 100
Housing 182 91 100
Transportation 95 92 100
Utilities 93 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Chapel Hill Cost of Living Vs. NC

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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Chapel Hill is $454,300.

  • The Median Rent in Chapel Hill is $1,294.

  • The Median Income in Chapel Hill is $77,037.

  • The Home Value To Income in Chapel Hill is 5.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Chapel Hill is 0.2x.

Statistic Chapel Hill North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $454,300 $197,500 $244,900
Median Rent $1,294 $988 $1,163
Median Income $77,037 $60,516 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.9x 3.3x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.2x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Chapel Hill, NC
$454,300
Median Home Value
$1,294
Median Rent
$77,037
Median Income

Chapel Hill, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Chapel Hill Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Chapel Hill North Carolina
Shampoo $0.9 $1.06
Movie $13.04 $10.68
Bowling $4.66 $14.67
Haircut $12.5 $18.62
Beauty Salon $33.5 $39.05

Detailed Chapel Hill Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Chapel Hill North Carolina
Ground Beef $3.41 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.22 $1.39
Milk $2.42 $2.05
Potatoes $2.95 $3.29
Pizza $8.49 $10.62
Beer $8.77 $9.38
Toothpaste $1.75 $2.34

Detailed Chapel Hill Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Chapel Hill North Carolina
Optometrist $104.06 $108.57
Doctor $80.0 $116.17
Dentist $105.0 $99.13

Detailed Chapel Hill Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Chapel Hill North Carolina
Gasoline $2.24 $2.22
Tire Balancing $38.33 $50.07

Detailed Chapel Hill Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Chapel Hill North Carolina
All Electricity $144.16 $167.67
Phone $27.99 $175.64

Chapel Hill SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
5
Diversity
8.5
Safety
7
Amenities
9
Education
9.5
Commute
8.5

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 94, 0.8x Chapel Hill.

  • Cary, NC has a cost of living index of 114, 1.0x Chapel Hill.

  • Apex, NC has a cost of living index of 112, 0.9x Chapel Hill.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Chapel Hill
Durham, NC 279,106 94 0.8x
Cary, NC 171,603 114 1.0x
Apex, NC 58,066 112 0.9x
Morrisville, NC 28,824 107 0.9x
Carrboro, NC 21,237 111 0.9x
Mebane, NC 17,192 95 0.8x
Hillsborough, NC 9,342 95 0.8x

Articles About North Carolina

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