Haven at Enka Lake
196 Winter Forest Dr,
Candler, NC 28715
1-3 Beds | $1,345 - $2,055
Cost of Living in Asheville, NC
The cost of living in Asheville, NC is 3.9% higher than the national average. Generally, housing in Asheville is 9.2% more expensive than the national average, with rent falling between $1,242 – $1,990. You can expect to pay 1.5% less for groceries, 4.1% less for utilities, and 6.5% less for transportation.
+3.9%
Overall Cost of Living vs. National Average
+9.2%
Housing Cost vs. National Average
$1,242 - $1,990
Most Common Rent Range
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Cost of Living Summary in Asheville, NC by Household Type
The cost of living in Asheville for a renter is 1.1% higher than the national average. If you are a renter, you can expect to pay around $4,818/month to cover basic household expenses. The following categories represent a breakdown of average monthly spending. Costs may vary based on location or market conditions.
Groceries
$683 per month
-1.3% lower than US avg.
Housing
$2,109 per month
+0.6% higher than US avg.
Utilities
$362 per month
-4.0% lower than US avg.
Transportation
$366 per month
-5.9% lower than US avg.
Healthcare
$151 per month
+4.9% higher than US avg.
Goods & Services
$1,147 per month
+7.5% higher than US avg.
The cost of living in Asheville for a home owner is 4.7% higher than the national average. If you are a home owner, you can expect to pay around $8,837/month to cover basic household expenses. The following categories represent a breakdown of average monthly spending. Costs may vary based on location or market conditions.
Groceries
$1,355 per month
-1.5% lower than US avg.
Housing
$2,633 per month
+13.1% higher than US avg.
Utilities
$808 per month
-4.0% lower than US avg.
Transportation
$770 per month
-6.1% lower than US avg.
Healthcare
$425 per month
+5.5% higher than US avg.
Goods & Services
$2,846 per month
+6.6% higher than US avg.
The cost of living in Asheville for a married couple with children under 6 is 3.2% higher than the national average. If you are a married couple with children under 6, you can expect to pay around $7,908/month to cover basic household expenses. The following categories represent a breakdown of average monthly spending. Costs may vary based on location or market conditions.
Groceries
$1,325 per month
-1.6% lower than US avg.
Housing
$2,361 per month
+8.1% higher than US avg.
Utilities
$766 per month
-4.0% lower than US avg.
Transportation
$740 per month
-6.0% lower than US avg.
Healthcare
$373 per month
+5.1% higher than US avg.
Goods & Services
$2,343 per month
+6.9% higher than US avg.
The cost of living in Asheville for a married couple with children 6-17 is 3.4% higher than the national average. If you are a married couple with children 6-17, you can expect to pay around $9,109/month to cover basic household expenses. The following categories represent a breakdown of average monthly spending. Costs may vary based on location or market conditions.
Groceries
$1,548 per month
-1.4% lower than US avg.
Housing
$2,617 per month
+8.7% higher than US avg.
Utilities
$835 per month
-4.0% lower than US avg.
Transportation
$852 per month
-5.9% lower than US avg.
Healthcare
$424 per month
+5.0% higher than US avg.
Goods & Services
$2,833 per month
+6.9% higher than US avg.
Cost of Living Details for Asheville, NC
Is Asheville expensive to live in?
Asheville’s overall cost of living is 3.9% higher than the national average, making it a more expensive city compared to other US locations.
What salary do I need to live comfortably in Asheville, NC?
To live comfortably in Asheville, NC, as a single adult with no dependents, you should aim for a salary around $57,816 before taxes. Expect to pay around $25,308/year for housing, $8,196/year for groceries, and $13,764 for goods and services. These costs will vary based on family size and location.
Average Housing Cost in Asheville, NC vs. National Average
Cost of Renting
The average rent in Asheville, NC is $1,485, which is 9.3% lower than the national average.
Start your search for an apartment in Asheville, NC, and view the average rent.
| Asheville, NC | National Average | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Apartment | $1,485/month | $1,637/month | -9% |
Cost of Buying a Home
The average listing price for a home in Asheville, NC is $590,431, which is 13.8% higher than the national average.
| Asheville, NC | National Average | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Average House Cost | $590,431 | $518,961 | +14% |
Groceries
The average cost of groceries in Asheville, NC is 1.5% lower than the national average.
| Asheville, NC | National Average | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Steak | $15.61 |
$15.52 |
+1% |
| Ground Beef | $6.92 |
$7.04 |
-2% |
| Sausage | $4.68 |
$4.92 |
-5% |
| Frying Chicken | $1.47 |
$1.57 |
-6% |
| Chunk Light Tuna | $1.21 |
$1.22 |
-1% |
| Whole Milk | $4.65 |
$4.70 |
-1% |
| Eggs | $3.48 |
$3.56 |
-2% |
| Margarine | $1.44 |
$1.53 |
-6% |
| Parmesan Cheese | $4.55 |
$4.62 |
-2% |
| Potatoes | $4.89 |
$4.60 |
+6% |
| Bananas | $0.74 |
$0.74 |
+0% |
| Lettuce | $1.87 |
$1.91 |
-2% |
| Bread | $3.90 |
$3.95 |
-1% |
| Fresh Orange Juice | $4.49 |
$4.50 |
0% |
| Coffee | $5.25 |
$5.57 |
-6% |
| Sugar | $4.94 |
$4.84 |
+2% |
| Corn Flakes | $4.58 |
$5.12 |
-11% |
| Sweet Peas | $1.64 |
$1.66 |
-1% |
| Peaches | $2.84 |
$2.79 |
+2% |
| Detergent | $19.53 |
$20.08 |
-3% |
| Cooking Oil | $8.40 |
$8.92 |
-6% |
| Frozen Meal | $3.75 |
$3.59 |
+4% |
| Frozen Corn | $1.96 |
$1.98 |
-1% |
| Potato Chips | $3.91 |
$3.99 |
-2% |
| Soft Drink | $2.70 |
$2.74 |
-1% |
| Hamburger | $6.07 |
$5.67 |
+7% |
| Pizza | $12.61 |
$12.36 |
+2% |
| Fried Chicken | $5.19 |
$5.36 |
-3% |
Utilities
The average cost of utilities in Asheville, NC is 4.1% lower than the national average.
| Asheville, NC | National Average | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | $197.49 |
$207.40 |
-5% |
| Phone | $189.71 |
$195.49 |
-3% |
Healthcare
The average cost of healthcare in Asheville, NC is 4.4% higher than the national average.
| Asheville, NC | National Average | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Optometrist Visit | $141.67 |
$131.82 |
+7% |
| Doctor Visit | $148.95 |
$145.43 |
+2% |
| Dentist Visit | $116.96 |
$118.71 |
-1% |
| Ibuprofen | $11.03 |
$11.08 |
0% |
| Prescription Drug | $26.47 |
$20.78 |
+27% |
Transportation
The average cost of transportation in Asheville, NC is 6.5% lower than the national average.
| Asheville, NC | National Average | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | $3.16 |
$3.24 |
-3% |
| Tire Balance | $53.00 |
$62.82 |
-16% |
Goods & Services
The average cost of good and services in Asheville, NC is 6.5% higher than the national average.
| Asheville, NC | National Average | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Toothpaste | $4.12 |
$4.10 |
+0% |
| Shampoo | $1.79 |
$1.54 |
+16% |
| Dry Cleaning | $17.59 |
$17.30 |
+2% |
| Man Dress Shirt | $45.35 |
$38.22 |
+19% |
| Boy Jeans | $35.41 |
$28.30 |
+25% |
| Women Slacks | $42.75 |
$36.54 |
+17% |
| Washer Repair | $106.37 |
$95.67 |
+11% |
| Newspaper | $18.64 |
$12.52 |
+49% |
| Movie | $12.77 |
$12.52 |
+2% |
| Yoga | $20.04 |
$18.94 |
+6% |
| Tennis Balls | $3.76 |
$3.96 |
-5% |
| Veterinary Services | $73.00 |
$69.61 |
+5% |
| Beer | $10.43 |
$10.21 |
+2% |
| Wine | $11.64 |
$11.79 |
-1% |
| Facial Tissues | $2.00 |
$2.11 |
-5% |
| Haircut | $27.10 |
$26.24 |
+3% |
| Beauty Salon | $71.33 |
$49.12 |
+45% |
Apartments for Rent in Asheville, NC
Houses for Rent in Asheville, NC
Explore Cost of Living in Popular Cities
What is a cost of living index?
A cost of living index is a numerical tool designed to compare expenses in different locations. It tracks the prices of essential goods and services, such as housing, food, utilities, transportation, and healthcare and assigns a score to each region. This index helps renters understand how costly one city is compared to another, helping with financial planning and decision-making before moving to a new place.
How is cost of living calculated?
Cost of living is calculated by looking at the prices of a variety of recurring expenses that people typically need. This can include housing, food, healthcare, and other everyday expenses. Each of these categories is weighted based on its importance in a typical budget. The prices are then compared across different locations to determine how much more or less expensive it is to live in one place compared to another.
Housing
Housing refers to the money you spend on where you live. This includes paying rent if you live in an apartment or making mortgage payments if you own a home.
Food and Groceries
Food and groceries cover the cost of buying food and everyday items like fruits, vegetables, snacks, and drinks. It's all the food you eat at home and the basic supplies you need to keep your house running smoothly.
Utilities
Utilities are the basic services that keep your home comfortable and functional. This includes bills for electricity, water, and internet and phone services.
Healthcare
Healthcare includes the expenses for medical needs. This means the cost of seeing doctors and dentists, buying medicine, and paying for related healthcare services.
Transportation
Transportation costs cover the expenses involved in commuting and travel, including costs associated with personal vehicle upkeep.
Goods & Services
Goods and services cover other everyday expenses that you have. This includes buying clothes, paying for entertainment like movies or sports, and other services you might use, such as haircuts or gym memberships. These are the things you spend money on outside of basic necessities.
How to interpret your results
Knowing whether you’ll save or spend more on expenses in a new city can help you with budgeting. There are a few practical applications of this knowledge. If you're thinking of moving to a more expensive area, you may need to adjust your spending. A region with particularly high rent may encourage you to allocate more of your budget toward housing and less toward entertainment and restaurants, for example. A region with a lower cost of living overall means you may be able to increase your spending in certain areas.
Calculating your estimated cost of living in a new city helps you plan your budget accordingly. Play around with numbers to find a balance between essential spending and disposable income.
Learn More with Helpful Articles
Methodology
† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.
Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.
Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in June 2025.