What is the cost of living in Morehead City, NC?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Morehead City has an overall cost of living index of 105, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to North Carolina, Morehead City has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than North Carolina's index of 95.
The standard of living in Morehead City ranks as #99 most affordable out of the 159 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Morehead City ranks as the #60 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.
For more reading on life in Morehead City, check out:
Morehead City Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Morehead City. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Morehead City is 97.
The Groceries index in Morehead City is 101.
The Health index in Morehead City is 128.
The Housing index in Morehead City is 101.
The Transportation index in Morehead City is 98.
The Utilities index in Morehead City is 98.
| Living Expense | Morehead City | North Carolina | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 105 | 95 | 100 |
| Services | 97 | 98 | 100 |
| Groceries | 101 | 98 | 100 |
| Health | 128 | 89 | 100 |
| Housing | 101 | 100 | 100 |
| Transportation | 98 | 97 | 100 |
| Utilities | 98 | 101 | 100 |
Morehead City Cost Of Living Compared To North Carolina Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
- Most Expensive Cities In North Carolina
- Most Affordable Cities In North Carolina
- Average Rent In North Carolina
Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Morehead City, 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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Morehead City is $410,236.
The Median Rent in Morehead City is $1,134.
The Median Income in Morehead City is $56,233.
The Home Value To Income in Morehead City is 7.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Morehead City is 0.24x.
| Statistic | Morehead City | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $410,236 | $336,407 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,134 | $1,228 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $56,233 | $72,388 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.3x | 4.6x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.24x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Morehead City, NC Costs By Category
Detailed Morehead City Services costs vs. North Carolina
| Item | Morehead City | 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 Morehead City Groceries costs vs. North Carolina
| Item | Morehead City | 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 Morehead City Health costs vs. North Carolina
| Item | Morehead City | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $141.56 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $136.38 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $100.17 | $113.29 |
Detailed Morehead City Transportation costs vs. North Carolina
| Item | Morehead City | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.45 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $63.55 | $59.92 |
Detailed Morehead City Utilities costs vs. North Carolina
| Item | Morehead City | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $201.14 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.32 | $192.25 |
