What is the cost of living in Wilmington, NC?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Wilmington has an overall cost of living index of 108, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to North Carolina, Wilmington has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than North Carolina's index of 95.
The standard of living in Wilmington ranks as #107 most affordable out of the 159 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Wilmington ranks as the #52 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.
For more reading on life in Wilmington, check out:
Wilmington Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Wilmington. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Wilmington is 99.
The Groceries index in Wilmington is 98.
The Health index in Wilmington is 135.
The Housing index in Wilmington is 98.
The Transportation index in Wilmington is 101.
The Utilities index in Wilmington is 99.
| Living Expense | Wilmington | North Carolina | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 108 | 95 | 100 |
| Services | 99 | 98 | 100 |
| Groceries | 98 | 98 | 100 |
| Health | 135 | 89 | 100 |
| Housing | 98 | 100 | 100 |
| Transportation | 101 | 97 | 100 |
| Utilities | 99 | 101 | 100 |
Wilmington 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
Wilmington, 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 Wilmington is $416,159.
The Median Rent in Wilmington is $1,395.
The Median Income in Wilmington is $66,738.
The Home Value To Income in Wilmington is 6.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Wilmington is 0.25x.
| Statistic | Wilmington | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $416,159 | $336,407 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,395 | $1,228 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $66,738 | $72,388 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 6.2x | 4.6x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.25x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Wilmington, NC Costs By Category
Detailed Wilmington Services costs vs. North Carolina
| Item | Wilmington | 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 Wilmington Groceries costs vs. North Carolina
| Item | Wilmington | 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 Wilmington Health costs vs. North Carolina
| Item | Wilmington | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $141.56 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $136.38 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $100.17 | $113.29 |
Detailed Wilmington Transportation costs vs. North Carolina
| Item | Wilmington | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.45 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $63.55 | $59.92 |
Detailed Wilmington Utilities costs vs. North Carolina
| Item | Wilmington | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $201.14 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.32 | $192.25 |
Wilmington SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Wilmington
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Wilmington. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Leland, NC has a cost of living index of 110, 1.0x Wilmington.
Murraysville, NC has a cost of living index of 106, 1.0x Wilmington.
Myrtle Grove, NC has a cost of living index of 114, 1.1x Wilmington.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leland, NC | 29,607 | 110 | 1.0x |
| Murraysville, NC | 16,339 | 106 | 1.0x |
| Myrtle Grove, NC | 12,637 | 114 | 1.1x |
| Kings Grant, NC | 9,003 | 102 | 0.9x |
| Ogden, NC | 8,249 | 122 | 1.1x |
| Porters Neck, NC | 7,654 | 124 | 1.1x |
| Carolina Beach, NC | 6,745 | 122 | 1.1x |
| Silver Lake, NC | 6,563 | 98 | 0.9x |
| Boiling Spring Lakes, NC | 6,347 | 99 | 0.9x |
