Chapel Hill, NC vs Winter Garden, FL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Winter Garden, FL has a modeled overall cost index 2.5% higher than Chapel Hill, NC.

Chapel Hill, NC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,810 / month
Winter Garden, FL · modeled 2BR rent: $2,350 / 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 Winter Garden, 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: $138/month in Winter Garden, FL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $151,652 in Winter Garden, FL

Regional cost estimates: Chapel Hill, NC uses Durham, NC. Winter Garden, FL uses Orlando, FL. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 2.5%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$138

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$1.7K

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

Winter Garden, FL

Population:47K

Cost Index:

98.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$563K

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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.

Winter Garden, FL

The Sunshine State

47K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Florida, this city has a population of 47K residents.

💡 Advantage: Florida has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Chapel Hill, NC vs Winter Garden, 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	Winter Garden, FL	Difference	Change
Groceries	$970/mo	$1,028/mo	↑ $58.09more	6.0%
Other	$1,728/mo	$1,786/mo	↑ $57.70more	3.3%
Housing	$2,368/mo	$2,403/mo	↑ $34.64more	1.5%
Healthcare	$608/mo	$575/mo	↓ $32.73less	5.4%
All Utilities	$552/mo	$579/mo	↑ $26.20more	4.7%
Transportation	$1,274/mo	$1,268/mo	↓ $6.22less	0.5%

Groceries

↑ 6.0%

Chapel Hill, NC

$970

Winter Garden, FL

$1,028

Difference

$58.09

Other

↑ 3.3%

Chapel Hill, NC

$1,728

Winter Garden, FL

$1,786

Difference

$57.70

Housing

↑ 1.5%

Chapel Hill, NC

$2,368

Winter Garden, FL

$2,403

Difference

$34.64

Healthcare

↓ 5.4%

Chapel Hill, NC

$608

Winter Garden, FL

$575

Difference

$32.73

less

All Utilities

↑ 4.7%

Chapel Hill, NC

$552

Winter Garden, FL

$579

Difference

$26.20

Transportation

↓ 0.5%

Chapel Hill, NC

$1,274

Winter Garden, FL

$1,268

Difference

$6.22

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,500

To$1,970

↑ $470

1 Bed

From$1,595

To$2,060

↑ $465

2 Bed

From$1,810

To$2,350

↑ $540

3 Bed

From$2,240

To$2,950

↑ $710

Chapel Hill, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,510–$1,680/mo

Winter Garden, FLZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,060–$2,060/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

$7,638

Monthly in Winter Garden, FL

$138

Difference

Home Values

Chapel Hill

Winter Garden

$612K

Median Value

$563K

↓ -0.7%

YoY Change

↓ -3.9%

↑ +45.7%

5-Year Change

↑ +42.5%

$594K - $629K

Price Range

$563K

Homes in Winter Garden are 8% less expensive than Chapel Hill

Calculate payment - Chapel Hill Calculate payment - Winter Garden

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

Winter Garden, 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%

Winter Garden, 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

Winter Garden

51 Moderate

Air Quality

41 Good

46.4%

Good Air Days

75.6%

90 Moderate

Climate Risk

98 High

🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌀🌪

▲+2.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

58 days

▲+2.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

58 days

Before moving from Chapel Hill, NC to Winter Garden, FL

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Chapel Hill, NC vs Winter Garden, FL

How do the cost estimates for Chapel Hill, NC and Winter Garden, FL compare?

Winter Garden, FL has a modeled overall cost index 2.5% 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 $151,652 in Winter Garden, 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 Winter Garden, FL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,810/month in Chapel Hill, NC and $2,350/month in Winter Garden, 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