Oak Island, NC Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Oak Island, NC Summary

Cost of living in Oak Island 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 Oak Island 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 Oak Island is 109, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Oak Island ranks as the #110 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.

  • Oak Island ranks as the #3,556 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Oak Island is $564,739.

  • The median income in Oak Island is $83,483.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
109
Oak Island's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Oak Island, NC?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Oak Island has an overall cost of living index of 109, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Oak Island ranks as #110 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Oak Island ranks as the #47 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.

For more reading on life in Oak Island, check out:

110 out of 157
In North Carolina
3,556 out of 6,489
In America

Oak Island Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina

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

  • The Services index in Oak Island is 98.

  • The Groceries index in Oak Island is 102.

  • The Health index in Oak Island is 91.

  • The Housing index in Oak Island is 135.

  • The Transportation index in Oak Island is 86.

  • The Utilities index in Oak Island is 119.

Living Expense Oak Island North Carolina National Average
Overall 109 92 100
Services 98 100 100
Groceries 102 99 100
Health 91 106 100
Housing 135 86 100
Transportation 86 93 100
Utilities 119 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around North Carolina, check out:
Oak Island Cost of Living Vs. NC

Oak Island, 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 Oak Island is $564,739.

  • The Median Rent in Oak Island is $1,208.

  • The Median Income in Oak Island is $83,483.

  • The Home Value To Income in Oak Island is 6.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Oak Island is 0.17x.

Statistic Oak Island North Carolina United States
Median Home Value $564,739 $332,681 $303,400
Median Rent $1,208 $1,162 $1,348
Median Income $83,483 $69,904 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.8x 4.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.2x 0.21x
$564,739
Median Home Value
$1,208
Median Rent
$83,483
Median Income

Oak Island, NC Costs By Category

Detailed Oak Island Services Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Oak Island North Carolina
Shampoo $1.38 $1.28
Movie $11.3 $12.13
Bowling $19.43 $18
Haircut $26.38 $24.26
Beauty Salon $56.15 $45.56

Detailed Oak Island Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Oak Island North Carolina
Ground Beef $6.22 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.67 $1.57
Milk $4.59 $4.67
Potatoes $5.51 $4.93
Pizza $10.83 $12.09
Beer $10.61 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.77 $3.7

Detailed Oak Island Health Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Oak Island North Carolina
Optometrist $78.1 $125.68
Doctor $137.5 $135.78
Dentist $97.17 $113.29

Detailed Oak Island Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Oak Island North Carolina
Gasoline $3.18 $3.46
Tire Balancing $46.64 $59.92

Detailed Oak Island Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina

Item Oak Island North Carolina
All Electricity $258.5 $193.99
Phone $194.25 $192.25

Oak Island SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Oak Island

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

  • Wilmington, NC has a cost of living index of 110, 1.0x Oak Island.

  • Leland, NC has a cost of living index of 111, 1.0x Oak Island.

  • Murraysville, NC has a cost of living index of 104, 1.0x Oak Island.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Oak Island
Wilmington, NC 118,578 110 1.0x
Leland, NC 26,307 111 1.0x
Murraysville, NC 17,307 104 1.0x
Myrtle Grove, NC 12,404 115 1.1x
Kings Grant, NC 9,061 101 0.9x
Ogden, NC 8,363 120 1.1x
Porters Neck, NC 7,102 126 1.2x
St. James, NC 6,901 140 1.3x
Carolina Beach, NC 6,665 122 1.1x
Silver Lake, NC 6,242 99 0.9x

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