Kinston, NC Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Kinston, NC Summary

Cost of living in Kinston 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 Kinston 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 Kinston is 85, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Kinston is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Kinston ranks as the #8 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • Kinston ranks as the #511 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Kinston is $137,932.

  • The median income in Kinston is $35,250.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
85
Kinston's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Kinston, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Kinston has an overall cost of living index of 85, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Carolina, Kinston has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than North Carolina's index of 92.

The standard of living in Kinston ranks as #8 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Kinston ranks as the #149 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Kinston, check out:

8 out of 157
In North Carolina
511 out of 6,489
In America

Kinston Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

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

  • The Services index in Kinston is 100.

  • The Groceries index in Kinston is 96.

  • The Health index in Kinston is 114.

  • The Housing index in Kinston is 58.

  • The Transportation index in Kinston is 95.

  • The Utilities index in Kinston is 98.

Living Expense Kinston North Carolina National Average
Overall 85 92 100
Services 100 100 100
Groceries 96 99 100
Health 114 106 100
Housing 58 86 100
Transportation 95 93 100
Utilities 98 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Kinston Cost of Living Vs. NC

Kinston, 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 Kinston is $137,932.

  • The Median Rent in Kinston is $822.

  • The Median Income in Kinston is $35,250.

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

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Kinston is 0.28x.

Statistic Kinston North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $137,932 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent $822 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $35,250 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.9x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.28x 0.2x 0.21x
$137,932
Median Home Value
$822
Median Rent
$35,250
Median Income

Kinston, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Kinston Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Kinston 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 Kinston Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Kinston 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 Kinston Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

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

Detailed Kinston Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

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

Detailed Kinston Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

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

Kinston SnackAbility

2
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
3/10
Housing
5
Affordability
5
Diversity
8.5
Safety
2
Amenities
8
Education
5
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Kinston

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

  • Greenville, NC has a cost of living index of 96, 1.1x Kinston.

  • Wilson, NC has a cost of living index of 95, 1.1x Kinston.

  • New Bern, NC has a cost of living index of 96, 1.1x Kinston.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Kinston
Greenville, NC 88,540 96 1.1x
Wilson, NC 47,740 95 1.1x
New Bern, NC 31,563 96 1.1x
Havelock, NC 16,471 96 1.1x
Piney Green, NC 14,205 94 1.1x
Winterville, NC 10,624 92 1.1x
Washington, NC 9,754 90 1.1x
Clinton, NC 8,336 92 1.1x
Half Moon, NC 7,780 94 1.1x
Williamston, NC 5,157 84 1.0x

Articles About North Carolina

Enjoy The Snack?