New Bern, NC Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In New Bern, NC Summary

Cost of living in New Bern 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 New Bern 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 New Bern is 96, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in New Bern is 1.0x lower than the national average.

  • New Bern ranks as the #71 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • New Bern ranks as the #2,104 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in New Bern is $277,345.

  • The median income in New Bern is $56,893.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
96
New Bern's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in New Bern, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, New Bern has an overall cost of living index of 96, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to North Carolina, New Bern has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than North Carolina's index of 92.

The standard of living in New Bern ranks as #71 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies New Bern ranks as the #86 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in New Bern, check out:

71 out of 157
In North Carolina
2,104 out of 6,489
In America

New Bern Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

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

  • The Services index in New Bern is 97.

  • The Groceries index in New Bern is 98.

  • The Health index in New Bern is 114.

  • The Housing index in New Bern is 90.

  • The Transportation index in New Bern is 94.

  • The Utilities index in New Bern is 100.

Living Expense New Bern North Carolina National Average
Overall 96 92 100
Services 97 100 100
Groceries 98 99 100
Health 114 106 100
Housing 90 86 100
Transportation 94 93 100
Utilities 100 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
New Bern Cost of Living Vs. NC

New Bern, 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 New Bern is $277,345.

  • The Median Rent in New Bern is $1,068.

  • The Median Income in New Bern is $56,893.

  • The Home Value To Income in New Bern is 4.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in New Bern is 0.23x.

Statistic New Bern North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $277,345 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent $1,068 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $56,893 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.9x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.2x 0.21x
$277,345
Median Home Value
$1,068
Median Rent
$56,893
Median Income

New Bern, NC Costs By Category

Detailed New Bern Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item New Bern 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 New Bern Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item New Bern 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 New Bern Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

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

Detailed New Bern Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item New Bern North Carolina
Gasoline $3.45 $3.46
Tire Balancing $63.55 $59.92

Detailed New Bern Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item New Bern North Carolina
All Electricity $201.14 $193.99
Phone $187.32 $192.25

New Bern SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
7
Affordability
5
Diversity
9.5
Safety
4
Amenities
8
Education
6
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around New Bern

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around New Bern. 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, 1.0x New Bern.

  • Jacksonville, NC has a cost of living index of 98, 1.0x New Bern.

  • Kinston, NC has a cost of living index of 85, 0.9x New Bern.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. New Bern
Greenville, NC 88,540 96 1.0x
Jacksonville, NC 73,507 98 1.0x
Kinston, NC 19,576 85 0.9x
Havelock, NC 16,471 96 1.0x
Piney Green, NC 14,205 94 1.0x
Winterville, NC 10,624 92 1.0x
Washington, NC 9,754 90 0.9x
Half Moon, NC 7,780 94 1.0x

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