Chapel Hill, NC vs Oakland Park, FL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Oakland Park, FL has a modeled overall cost index 12.1% higher than Chapel Hill, NC.

Chapel Hill, NC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,810 / month
Oakland Park, FL · modeled 2BR rent: $2,340 / 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 Chapel Hill, NC and Oakland Park, 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 Chapel Hill, NC

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $980/month in Oakland Park, FL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $161,757 in Oakland Park, FL

Regional cost estimates: Chapel Hill, NC uses Durham, NC. Oakland Park, FL uses Hialeah, FL. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 12.1%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$980

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$11.8K

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.

Chapel Hill, NC

Population:62K

Cost Index:

96.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$612K

Oakland Park, FL

Population:44K

Cost Index:

108.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$575K

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Chapel Hill, NC

The Tar Heel State

62K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in North Carolina, this city has a population of 62K residents.

Oakland Park, FL

The Sunshine State

44K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Florida, this city has a population of 44K residents.

💡 Advantage: Florida has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Chapel Hill, NC vs Oakland Park, 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	Chapel Hill, NC	Oakland Park, FL	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,368/mo	$2,904/mo	↑ $536more	22.6%
Other	$1,728/mo	$1,912/mo	↑ $184more	10.7%
Transportation	$1,274/mo	$1,452/mo	↑ $177more	13.9%
Groceries	$970/mo	$1,091/mo	↑ $122more	12.5%
All Utilities	$552/mo	$525/mo	↓ $27.42less	5.0%
Healthcare	$608/mo	$595/mo	↓ $12.30less	2.0%

Housing

↑ 22.6%

Chapel Hill, NC

$2,368

Oakland Park, FL

$2,904

Difference

$536

Other

↑ 10.7%

Chapel Hill, NC

$1,728

Oakland Park, FL

$1,912

Difference

$184

Transportation

↑ 13.9%

Chapel Hill, NC

$1,274

Oakland Park, FL

$1,452

Difference

$177

Groceries

↑ 12.5%

Chapel Hill, NC

$970

Oakland Park, FL

$1,091

Difference

$122

All Utilities

↓ 5.0%

Chapel Hill, NC

$552

Oakland Park, FL

$525

Difference

$27.42

less

Healthcare

↓ 2.0%

Chapel Hill, NC

$608

Oakland Park, FL

$595

Difference

$12.30

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,500

To$1,740

↑ $240

1 Bed

From$1,595

To$1,910

↑ $315

2 Bed

From$1,810

To$2,340

↑ $530

3 Bed

From$2,240

To$3,230

↑ $990

Chapel Hill, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,510–$1,680/mo

Oakland Park, FLZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,470–$2,310/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 Chapel Hill, NC

$8,480

Monthly in Oakland Park, FL

$980

Difference

Home Values

Chapel Hill

Oakland Park

$612K

Median Value

$575K

↓ -0.7%

YoY Change

↓ -5.5%

↑ +45.7%

5-Year Change

↑ +35.4%

$594K - $629K

Price Range

$428K - $666K

Homes in Oakland Park are 6% less expensive than Chapel Hill

Calculate payment - Chapel Hill Calculate payment - Oakland Park

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

Chapel Hill, 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

Oakland Park, 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

Chapel Hill, NC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.1%

Property Tax:0.8%

Oakland Park, 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

Chapel Hill

Oakland Park

51 Moderate

Air Quality

48 Good

46.4%

Good Air Days

59.8%

90 Moderate

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌀

▲+2.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

22 days

▲+2.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

22 days

Before moving from Chapel Hill, NC to Oakland Park, FL

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Oakland Park, FL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Chapel Hill, 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 Chapel Hill to Oakland Park moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Chapel Hill, NC vs Oakland Park, FL

How do the cost estimates for Chapel Hill, NC and Oakland Park, FL compare?

Oakland Park, FL has a modeled overall cost index 12.1% higher than Chapel Hill, 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 Chapel Hill, NC, the model estimates $161,757 in Oakland Park, 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 Chapel Hill, NC and Oakland Park, FL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,810/month in Chapel Hill, NC and $2,340/month in Oakland Park, 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