Fayetteville, NC Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Fayetteville, NC Summary

Cost of living in Fayetteville 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 Fayetteville 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 Fayetteville is 91, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Fayetteville is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Fayetteville ranks as the #40 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • Fayetteville ranks as the #1,347 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Fayetteville is $218,414.

  • The median income in Fayetteville is $56,395.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
91
Fayetteville's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Fayetteville, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Fayetteville has an overall cost of living index of 91, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Carolina, Fayetteville has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than North Carolina's index of 92.

The standard of living in Fayetteville ranks as #40 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Fayetteville ranks as the #117 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Fayetteville, check out:

40 out of 157
In North Carolina
1,347 out of 6,489
In America

Fayetteville Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

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

  • The Services index in Fayetteville is 101.

  • The Groceries index in Fayetteville is 99.

  • The Health index in Fayetteville is 114.

  • The Housing index in Fayetteville is 81.

  • The Transportation index in Fayetteville is 93.

  • The Utilities index in Fayetteville is 99.

Living Expense Fayetteville North Carolina National Average
Overall 91 92 100
Services 101 100 100
Groceries 99 99 100
Health 114 106 100
Housing 81 86 100
Transportation 93 93 100
Utilities 99 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Fayetteville Cost of Living Vs. NC

Fayetteville, 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 Fayetteville is $218,414.

  • The Median Rent in Fayetteville is $1,179.

  • The Median Income in Fayetteville is $56,395.

  • The Home Value To Income in Fayetteville is 3.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Fayetteville is 0.25x.

Statistic Fayetteville North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $218,414 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent $1,179 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $56,395 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.9x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.2x 0.21x
$218,414
Median Home Value
$1,179
Median Rent
$56,395
Median Income

Fayetteville, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Fayetteville Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Fayetteville 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 Fayetteville Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Fayetteville 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 Fayetteville Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Fayetteville North Carolina
Optometrist $141.56 $125.68
Doctor $136.38 $135.78
Dentist $100.17 $113.29

Detailed Fayetteville Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Fayetteville North Carolina
Gasoline $3.45 $3.46
Tire Balancing $63.55 $59.92

Detailed Fayetteville Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Fayetteville North Carolina
All Electricity $201.14 $193.99
Phone $187.32 $192.25

Fayetteville SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
7
Affordability
6
Diversity
10
Safety
3
Amenities
8.5
Education
8
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Fayetteville

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

  • Cary, NC has a cost of living index of 125, 1.4x Fayetteville.

  • Apex, NC has a cost of living index of 122, 1.3x Fayetteville.

  • Holly Springs, NC has a cost of living index of 125, 1.4x Fayetteville.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Fayetteville
Cary, NC 176,686 125 1.4x
Apex, NC 67,765 122 1.3x
Holly Springs, NC 43,429 125 1.4x
Fuquay-Varina, NC 37,749 114 1.3x
Garner, NC 32,543 106 1.2x
Pinehurst, NC 17,992 120 1.3x
Hope Mills, NC 17,823 94 1.0x
Southern Pines, NC 16,052 112 1.2x
Spring Lake, NC 11,613 90 1.0x
Clinton, NC 8,336 92 1.0x

Articles About North Carolina

Enjoy The Snack?