State Index · Cost of Living · North Carolina · 2024

Average Cost of Living in North Carolina

Rank #31 of 5097.0% of national averageSource: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)

North Carolina ranks #31 of 51 for cost of living in 2026.

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BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 · updated Apr 2026

Cost of Living Index by State map showing 51 states. Hover or tap a state for details.

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Cost of Living Index by State

Low → High

86.9 – 90.111 states
90.1 – 94.310 states
94.3 – 98.910 states
98.9 – 103.410 states
103.4 – 110.710 states

Full ranking

All 50 states ranked

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)

Rank	State	Cost of Living Index	% of US
1	California	110.72	113.9%
2	Hawaii	109.951	113.1%
3	District of Columbia	109.901	113.0%
4	New Jersey	108.805	111.9%
5	New York	107.921	111.0%
6	Washington	107.013	110.1%
7	Massachusetts	105.757	108.8%
8	Maryland	104.959	108.0%
9	New Hampshire	104.165	107.1%
10	Connecticut	103.61	106.6%

Show all 50 states (41 more) ↓

11	Florida	103.414	106.4%
12	Oregon	103.361	106.3%
13	Colorado	103.052	106.0%
14	Alaska	102.359	105.3%
15	Rhode Island	102.28	105.2%
16	Virginia	101.104	104.0%
17	Arizona	100.677	103.6%
18	Nevada	99.979	102.8%
19	Illinois	99.958	102.8%
20	Delaware	99.808	102.7%
21	Utah	98.864	101.7%
22	Minnesota	98.621	101.4%
23	Vermont	97.958	100.8%
24	Pennsylvania	97.572	100.4%
25	Texas	97.057	99.8%
26	Maine	97.05	99.8%
27	Georgia	96.293	99.0%
28	Michigan	96.217	99.0%
29	Idaho	95.494	98.2%
30	Montana	94.645	97.3%
31	North Carolina	94.326	97.0%
32	Wisconsin	94.095	96.8%
33	South Carolina	93.749	96.4%
34	Indiana	93.329	96.0%
35	Ohio	92.774	95.4%
36	Wyoming	92.691	95.3%
37	New Mexico	92.212	94.8%
38	Tennessee	91.87	94.5%
39	Missouri	90.817	93.4%
40	Kentucky	90.159	92.7%
41	Nebraska	90.103	92.7%
42	Kansas	90.068	92.6%
43	West Virginia	89.497	92.1%
44	North Dakota	88.959	91.5%
45	Alabama	88.823	91.4%
46	South Dakota	88.586	91.1%
47	Louisiana	88.207	90.7%
48	Oklahoma	87.843	90.4%
49	Iowa	87.762	90.3%
50	Mississippi	86.953	89.4%
51	Arkansas	86.937	89.4%

Updated 2026-04-25. Click any state for the full breakdown.

FAQ

North Carolina cost of living: common questions

What is the average cost of living in North Carolina?

North Carolina cost of living is 94.326 as of 2024, according to BEA Regional Price Parities. That puts North Carolina at rank #31 of 50 US states, below the national average of 97.243.

How does North Carolina compare to nearby states?

Among North Carolina's neighbors, Virginia shows 101.104, Tennessee shows 91.87, Georgia shows 96.293. Use the CalcFi compare view to line all of them up: /maps/compare?cat=cost-of-living&states=nc,va,tn,ga. Nearby states share labor markets and housing corridors, so the comparison is usually the most relevant one.

Which North Carolina metros have the highest cost of living?

Top North Carolina metros include Charlotte, Raleigh, and Greensboro. City-level cost of living data drops in Q3 2026 once BLS releases its metro-area tables for the year. Raleigh is the state capital. Until then, the state-level number is the best available read.

How expensive is North Carolina compared to the US average?

North Carolina scores 94.326 on the BEA Regional Price Parities index, where the US average is 100. A score above 100 means goods and services cost more than the national average; below 100 means less. RPP covers goods, rents, and other services at the state level.

Top North Carolina cities · Cost of Living Index by State

9 cities ranked by cost of living index by state. Lower is better.

Compare top 3 →

Methodology

BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP), all items, US national reference = 100. Pulled live from BEA API (TableName=SARPP, LineCode=1, year=2024).