Asheville, NC vs Suffolk, VA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Suffolk, VA has a modeled overall cost index 9.1% higher than Asheville, NC.

Asheville, NC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,690 / month
Suffolk, VA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,000 / 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 Suffolk, VA 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: $604/month in Suffolk, VA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $157,243 in Suffolk, VA

Regional cost estimates: Asheville, NC uses Charlotte, NC. Suffolk, VA uses Chesapeake, VA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 9.1%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$604

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$7.2K

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

Suffolk, VA

Population:101K

Cost Index:

99.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$439K

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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.

Suffolk, VA

The Old Dominion State

101K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Virginia, this city has a population of 101K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Asheville, NC vs Suffolk, VA

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	Suffolk, VA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,267/mo	$2,550/mo	↑ $283more	12.5%
Transportation	$1,227/mo	$1,373/mo	↑ $146more	11.9%
Other	$1,742/mo	$1,843/mo	↑ $101more	5.8%
All Utilities	$548/mo	$619/mo	↑ $71.90more	13.1%
Healthcare	$673/mo	$682/mo	↑ $9.18more	1.4%
Groceries	$1,043/mo	$1,036/mo	↓ $7.77less	0.7%

Housing

↑ 12.5%

Asheville, NC

$2,267

Suffolk, VA

$2,550

Difference

$283

Transportation

↑ 11.9%

Asheville, NC

$1,227

Suffolk, VA

$1,373

Difference

$146

Other

↑ 5.8%

Asheville, NC

$1,742

Suffolk, VA

$1,843

Difference

$101

All Utilities

↑ 13.1%

Asheville, NC

$548

Suffolk, VA

$619

Difference

$71.90

Healthcare

↑ 1.4%

Asheville, NC

$673

Suffolk, VA

$682

Difference

$9.18

Groceries

↓ 0.7%

Asheville, NC

$1,043

Suffolk, VA

$1,036

Difference

$7.77

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,350

To$1,740

↑ $390

1 Bed

From$1,540

To$1,750

↑ $210

2 Bed

From$1,690

To$2,000

↑ $310

3 Bed

From$2,050

To$2,790

↑ $740

Asheville, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,440–$1,890/mo

Suffolk, VAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,090–$1,920/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

$8,104

Monthly in Suffolk, VA

$604

Difference

Home Values

Asheville

Suffolk

$443K

Median Value

$439K

↓ -4.4%

YoY Change

↑ +1.3%

↑ +31.3%

5-Year Change

↑ +34%

$393K - $578K

Price Range

$328K - $531K

Homes in Suffolk are 1% less expensive than Asheville

Calculate payment - Asheville Calculate payment - Suffolk

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $1.2K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$104

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.8%

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

Suffolk, VA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Virginia State Tax

Effective: 5.6%

$8.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.3%

$45.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,718/month

$104.6K

Additional Tax Information

Asheville, NC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.1%

Property Tax:0.8%

Suffolk, VA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.7%

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

Suffolk

51 Moderate

Air Quality

36 Good

46.2%

Good Air Days

80.3%

97 High

Climate Risk

81 Low

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

None

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

21 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

21 days

Before moving from Asheville, NC to Suffolk, VA

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Suffolk, VA 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 Suffolk moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Suffolk, VA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Asheville, NC vs Suffolk, VA

How do the cost estimates for Asheville, NC and Suffolk, VA compare?

Suffolk, VA has a modeled overall cost index 9.1% 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 $157,243 in Suffolk, VA. 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 Suffolk, VA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,690/month in Asheville, NC and $2,000/month in Suffolk, VA. 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 Virginia on TaxTakeHome.com