Cullowhee, NC Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Cullowhee, NC Summary

Cost of living in Cullowhee 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 Cullowhee 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 Cullowhee is 109, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Cullowhee ranks as the #110 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • Cullowhee ranks as the #3,556 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Cullowhee is $415,287.

  • The median income in Cullowhee is $35,076.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
109
Cullowhee's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Cullowhee, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Cullowhee has an overall cost of living index of 109, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Carolina, Cullowhee has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than North Carolina's index of 92.

The standard of living in Cullowhee ranks as #110 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Cullowhee ranks as the #47 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Cullowhee, check out:

110 out of 157
In North Carolina
3,556 out of 6,489
In America

Cullowhee Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Cullowhee. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Cullowhee is 102.

  • The Groceries index in Cullowhee is 99.

  • The Health index in Cullowhee is 111.

  • The Housing index in Cullowhee is 138.

  • The Transportation index in Cullowhee is 93.

  • The Utilities index in Cullowhee is 106.

Living Expense Cullowhee North Carolina National Average
Overall 109 92 100
Services 102 100 100
Groceries 99 99 100
Health 111 106 100
Housing 138 86 100
Transportation 93 93 100
Utilities 106 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Cullowhee Cost of Living Vs. NC

Cullowhee, 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 Cullowhee is $415,287.

  • The Median Rent in Cullowhee is $836.

  • The Median Income in Cullowhee is $35,076.

  • The Home Value To Income in Cullowhee is 11.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Cullowhee is 0.29x.

Statistic Cullowhee North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $415,287 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent $836 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $35,076 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 11.8x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.29x 0.2x 0.21x
$415,287
Median Home Value
$836
Median Rent
$35,076
Median Income

Cullowhee, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Cullowhee Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Cullowhee 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 Cullowhee Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Cullowhee 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 Cullowhee Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Cullowhee North Carolina
Optometrist $155.11 $125.68
Doctor $166.73 $135.78
Dentist $113.89 $113.29

Detailed Cullowhee Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Cullowhee North Carolina
Gasoline $3.29 $3.46
Tire Balancing $49.99 $59.92

Detailed Cullowhee Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Cullowhee North Carolina
All Electricity $221.84 $193.99
Phone $186.82 $192.25

Cullowhee SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
3/10
Housing
7
Affordability
3
Diversity
8
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8
Education
9
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Cullowhee

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Cullowhee. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Asheville, NC has a cost of living index of 115, 1.1x Cullowhee.

  • Sevierville, TN has a cost of living index of 96, 0.9x Cullowhee.

  • Clemson, SC has a cost of living index of 106, 1.0x Cullowhee.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Cullowhee
Asheville, NC 94,369 115 1.1x
Sevierville, TN 18,105 96 0.9x
Clemson, SC 17,759 106 1.0x
Hendersonville, NC 15,253 100 0.9x
Waynesville, NC 10,408 96 0.9x
Fletcher, NC 8,022 108 1.0x
Woodfin, NC 7,957 110 1.0x
Brevard, NC 7,795 101 0.9x
Etowah, NC 7,765 103 0.9x
Mills River, NC 7,214 110 1.0x

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