Garner, NC Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Garner, NC Summary

Cost of living in Garner 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 Garner 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 Garner is 106, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Garner ranks as the #102 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • Garner ranks as the #3,278 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Garner is $383,954.

  • The median income in Garner is $77,496.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
106
Garner's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Garner, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Garner has an overall cost of living index of 106, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Garner ranks as #102 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Garner ranks as the #55 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Garner, check out:

102 out of 157
In North Carolina
3,278 out of 6,489
In America

Garner Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

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

  • The Services index in Garner is 100.

  • The Groceries index in Garner is 96.

  • The Health index in Garner is 113.

  • The Housing index in Garner is 119.

  • The Transportation index in Garner is 93.

  • The Utilities index in Garner is 96.

Living Expense Garner North Carolina National Average
Overall 106 92 100
Services 100 100 100
Groceries 96 99 100
Health 113 106 100
Housing 119 86 100
Transportation 93 93 100
Utilities 96 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Garner Cost of Living Vs. NC

Garner, 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 Garner is $383,954.

  • The Median Rent in Garner is $1,452.

  • The Median Income in Garner is $77,496.

  • The Home Value To Income in Garner is 5.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Garner is 0.22x.

Statistic Garner North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $383,954 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent $1,452 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $77,496 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.0x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.2x 0.21x
$383,954
Median Home Value
$1,452
Median Rent
$77,496
Median Income

Garner, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Garner Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Garner 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 Garner Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Garner 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 Garner Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

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

Detailed Garner Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

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

Detailed Garner Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

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

Garner SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Garner

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Garner. 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, 1.1x Garner.

  • Cary, NC has a cost of living index of 125, 1.2x Garner.

  • Apex, NC has a cost of living index of 122, 1.2x Garner.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Garner
Raleigh, NC 470,763 112 1.1x
Cary, NC 176,686 125 1.2x
Apex, NC 67,765 122 1.2x
Wake Forest, NC 51,199 117 1.1x
Holly Springs, NC 43,429 125 1.2x
Fuquay-Varina, NC 37,749 114 1.1x
Morrisville, NC 30,471 120 1.1x
Clayton, NC 28,043 103 1.0x
Knightdale, NC 19,532 105 1.0x
Wendell, NC 11,585 102 1.0x

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