Asheville, NC vs Palm Coast, FL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Palm Coast, FL has a modeled overall cost index 0.6% higher than Asheville, NC.

Asheville, NC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,690 / month
Palm Coast, FL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,920 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Asheville, NC and Palm Coast, FL using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Asheville, NC

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $11.92/month in Palm Coast, FL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $150,143 in Palm Coast, FL

Regional cost estimates: Asheville, NC uses Charlotte, NC. Palm Coast, FL uses Jacksonville, FL. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 0.6%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$11.92

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$143

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Asheville, NC

Population:95K

Cost Index:

90.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$443K

Palm Coast, FL

Population:102K

Cost Index:

91.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$375K

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Asheville, NC

The Tar Heel State

95K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in North Carolina, this city has a population of 95K residents.

Palm Coast, FL

The Sunshine State

102K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Florida, this city has a population of 102K residents.

💡 Advantage: Florida has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Asheville, NC vs Palm Coast, FL

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Asheville, NC	Palm Coast, FL	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,267/mo	$2,106/mo	↓ $161less	7.1%
Transportation	$1,227/mo	$1,360/mo	↑ $134more	10.9%
All Utilities	$548/mo	$617/mo	↑ $69.14more	12.6%
Healthcare	$673/mo	$613/mo	↓ $60.47less	9.0%
Groceries	$1,043/mo	$1,096/mo	↑ $52.05more	5.0%
Other	$1,742/mo	$1,720/mo	↓ $21.85less	1.3%

Housing

↓ 7.1%

Asheville, NC

$2,267

Palm Coast, FL

$2,106

Difference

$161

less

Transportation

↑ 10.9%

Asheville, NC

$1,227

Palm Coast, FL

$1,360

Difference

$134

All Utilities

↑ 12.6%

Asheville, NC

$548

Palm Coast, FL

$617

Difference

$69.14

Healthcare

↓ 9.0%

Asheville, NC

$673

Palm Coast, FL

$613

Difference

$60.47

less

Groceries

↑ 5.0%

Asheville, NC

$1,043

Palm Coast, FL

$1,096

Difference

$52.05

Other

↓ 1.3%

Asheville, NC

$1,742

Palm Coast, FL

$1,720

Difference

$21.85

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,350

To$1,360

↑ $10.00

1 Bed

From$1,540

To$1,520

↓ $20.00

2 Bed

From$1,690

To$1,920

↑ $230

3 Bed

From$2,050

To$2,620

↑ $570

Asheville, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,440–$1,890/mo

Palm Coast, FLZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,520–$1,520/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Asheville, NC

$7,512

Monthly in Palm Coast, FL

$11.92

Difference

Home Values

Asheville

Palm Coast

$443K

Median Value

$375K

↓ -4.4%

YoY Change

↓ -3.6%

↑ +31.3%

5-Year Change

↑ +29.4%

$393K - $578K

Price Range

$375K

Homes in Palm Coast are 15% less expensive than Asheville

Calculate payment - Asheville Calculate payment - Palm Coast

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $7.1K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$594

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

4.7%

Rate difference

Asheville, NC

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

North Carolina State Tax

Effective: 4.8%

$7.1K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.4%

$44.1K

Take-Home Pay

$8,822/month

$105.9K

Palm Coast, FL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Florida State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

Asheville, NC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.1%

Property Tax:0.8%

Palm Coast, FL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%

Property Tax:0.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Asheville

Palm Coast

51 Moderate

Air Quality

50 Good

46.2%

Good Air Days

51.9%

97 High

Climate Risk

97 High

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌀

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

Before moving from Asheville, NC to Palm Coast, FL

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Palm Coast, FL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Asheville, NC. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Asheville to Palm Coast moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Palm Coast, FL by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Asheville, NC vs Palm Coast, FL

How do the cost estimates for Asheville, NC and Palm Coast, FL compare?

Palm Coast, FL has a modeled overall cost index 0.6% higher than Asheville, NC. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Asheville, NC, the model estimates $150,143 in Palm Coast, FL. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Asheville, NC and Palm Coast, FL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,690/month in Asheville, NC and $1,920/month in Palm Coast, FL. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between North Carolina and Florida on TaxTakeHome.com