COST OF LI V I N G Charlotte consistently ranks as one of the most affordable big cities in the nation. It costs about 5 percent less than the national average to live in Charlotte, according to the most recent C2ER Cost of Living Index. Inside, you’ll find the details behind that quarterly report, including detailed prices for a variety of goods and services as well as comparisons to other large metro areas throughout the country.
• Charlotte’s COLI Index: 94.8 • Average Annual Wages Mecklenburg County: $61,472 • Purchasing Power of Average Annual Wages: $64,844
Q1 2017
W W W.C H A R LOT T EC H A M B E R .CO M
COS CO S T OF LLIVI I VI NG NG Our cost of living index is calculated by using prices of goods in six categories – Groceries, Health Care, Housing, Miscellaneous Goods and Services, Transportation and Utilities.
SE LEC T ED S O U THE R N C ITIE S I NDE X , CI T Y
#
#
94.8 - CHARLOTTE, NC 95.2 - RICHMOND, VA
3
# #
1
2
#
6
4
96.0 - NASHVILLE, TN 96.1 - WILMINGTON, NC
#
7
96.2 - TAMPA, FL 97.7 - ATLANTA, GA
#
5
101.2 - DALLAS, TX
COST O F L I V I N G 2017 - Q 1 GROCERY INDEX
HOUSING INDEX
UTILITIES INDEX
TRANSP. INDEX
HEALTH CARE INDEX
MISC. GOODS & SERVICES INDEX
1. CHARLOTTE, NC
94.2
86.5
90.7
97.0
102.9
101.1
2. RICHMOND, VA
90.1
88.3
105.0
93.1
105.6
99.3
3. NASHVILLE, TN
96.4
90.7
91.9
101.6
81.3
101.3
4. WILMINGTON, NC
104.3
82.6
101.5
108.4
118.5
96.2
5. TAMPA, FL
106.3
78.1
117.4
106.2
98.8
97.4
6. ATLANTA, GA
104.7
91.1
89.2
101.4
107.8
100.4
90.6
102.4
102.3
101.2
103.4
103.7
CITY
7. DALLAS, TX
SOURCE: C2ER Cost of Living Index, Q1 2017
H OUS ING
APART MENT
HO USE
MONTHLY RENT
PURCHASE PRICE
Two bedroom, unfurnished, excluding all utilities except water,
,400-square-foot living area, 2 new house, 8,000-square-foot lot, urban area with all utilities
$1,049
$263,338
1½ - 2 bath, 950 square feet
G RO C E R IE S
U T I L I T I ES *
MILK
E NE RGY CO ST
Total monthly cost, at current rates, for average monthly
HALF-GALLON
consumption of all types of energy
$1.89
$154.22
STEAK RIBEYE, PER POUND
TE LE PHO NE
$10.91
rivate residential line; Price includes basic monthly rate and P additional local use charges, for family of four
EG G S
$25.00
GRADE A, 1 DOZEN
$1.52
* Monthly costs for housing and energy are not community-wide averages.
T RANS P ORTAT IO N TRANS
H EA LT H CA RE
AU TO MAINT ENANCE
DOCTOR VISIT
$43.99
$100.00
GA S O LINE
DE NTIST V ISIT
Average price to spin balance all four wheels
ne gallon, regular unleaded, national brand, O including all taxes, cash price at self-service pump
$2.20
General practitioner’s routine examination
Adult teeth cleaning and periodic oral examination
$113.00
M I SCELLAN SC E LLAN EOU EO U S GOOD GO O D S & S ERV I CES H A M B U RGE R McDonald’s QuarterPounder with cheese
NE WS PAP E R SUB SCRIPTION Monthly, daily and Sunday home delivery
$9.05
D RY CL EA N I NG
HAI RC U T
WINE
$7.69
Men’s two-piece suit
Men’s barbershop haircut, no styling
$10.06
$17.75
PIZ Z A
M OV I E
BE AU TY SALON
B EER
$8.49
$10.72
$29.80
$9.19
$4.11
11” - 12” Pizza Hut
First-run, indoor, evening, no discount
Women’s shampoo, trim and blow-dry
White Wine, 1.5-liter bottle
Heineken 6-pack, 12-ounce containers
CO S T O F LIVING IND EX
COMPARISON CITIE S — TO P 40 MET RO MA R K E TS 1
3
5
7
9
10
13
15
17
19
21
22
25
27
29
31
33
35
37
39
SAN ANTONIO, TX ST. LOUIS, MO-IL CINCINNATI, OH CHAPEL HILL, NC*
CHARLOTTE, NC ORLANDO, FL NASHVILLE, TN HOUSTON, TX ATLANTA, GA
87.5
CHICAGO, IL PORTLAND, OR LOS ANGELES-LONG BEACH, CA WASHINGTON-ARLINGTON-ALEXANDRIA, DC-VA
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
91.7
KANSAS CITY, MO-KS
4
92.5
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
5
94.7
PHOENIX, AZ
8
95.8
SALT LAKE CITY, UT
10
95.8
JACKSONVILLE, FL
10
96.2
TAMPA, FL
14
97.1
DETROIT, MI
16
97.7
AUSTIN, TX
99.9
PITTSBURGH, PA
20
101.2
DALLAS, TX
22
101.4
CLEVELAND, OH
24
111.8
DENVER, CO
26
116.2
PHILADELPHIA, PA
28
122.8
NEWARK-ELIZABETH, NJ
30
123.2
PROVIDENCE, RI
32
145.1
SEATTLE, WA
34
148.6
BOSTON, MA
36
180.9
NEW YORK (BROOKLYN), NY
38
230.8
NEW YORK (MANHATTAN), NY
40
94.8 95.8 96.0 97.0 97.7
LAS VEGAS, NV
BALTIMORE, MD
2
94.5
100.4
MIAMI, FL
COLUMBUS, OH
92.5
NEW ORLEANS, LA
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
88.7 90.0
99.3
FORT WORTH, TX
CITY | RANK
17
101.2 104.8 114.3 118.8 123.0 127.3 146.3 153.3 188.5
SOURCE: C2ER Cost of Living Index, Q1 2017. NOTE: Data not available for Raleigh, NC. Chapel Hill, NC used as proxy.
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