Cocoa Beach, FL vs Hillsborough, NC: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Hillsborough, NC has a modeled overall cost index 2.9% lower than Cocoa Beach, FL.

Cocoa Beach, FL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,860 / month
Hillsborough, NC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,690 / 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 Cocoa Beach, FL and Hillsborough, NC 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 Cocoa Beach, FL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $165/month in Hillsborough, NC

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $148,015 in Hillsborough, NC

Regional cost estimates: Cocoa Beach, FL uses Orlando, FL. Hillsborough, NC uses Durham, NC. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 2.9%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$165

Savings

Annual Impact

$2.0K

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.

Cocoa Beach, FL

Population:11K

Cost Index:

95.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$451K

Hillsborough, NC

Population:10K

Cost Index:

92.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$463K

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Cocoa Beach, FL

The Sunshine State

11K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Florida, this city has a population of 11K residents.

💡 Advantage: Florida has no state income tax!

Hillsborough, NC

The Tar Heel State

10K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in North Carolina, this city has a population of 10K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Cocoa Beach, FL vs Hillsborough, NC

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	Cocoa Beach, FL	Hillsborough, NC	Difference	Change
Other	$1,744/mo	$1,680/mo	↓ $64.38less	3.7%
Groceries	$1,023/mo	$963/mo	↓ $60.11less	5.9%
Housing	$2,346/mo	$2,302/mo	↓ $44.83less	1.9%
Healthcare	$572/mo	$603/mo	↑ $31.13more	5.4%
All Utilities	$576/mo	$548/mo	↓ $27.39less	4.8%
Transportation	$1,239/mo	$1,239/mo	↑ $0.16more	0.0%

Other

↓ 3.7%

Cocoa Beach, FL

$1,744

Hillsborough, NC

$1,680

Difference

$64.38

less

Groceries

↓ 5.9%

Cocoa Beach, FL

$1,023

Hillsborough, NC

$963

Difference

$60.11

less

Housing

↓ 1.9%

Cocoa Beach, FL

$2,346

Hillsborough, NC

$2,302

Difference

$44.83

less

Healthcare

↑ 5.4%

Cocoa Beach, FL

$572

Hillsborough, NC

$603

Difference

$31.13

All Utilities

↓ 4.8%

Cocoa Beach, FL

$576

Hillsborough, NC

$548

Difference

$27.39

less

Transportation

↑ 0.0%

Cocoa Beach, FL

$1,239

Hillsborough, NC

$1,239

Difference

$0.16

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,380

To$1,400

↑ $20.00

1 Bed

From$1,610

To$1,480

↓ $130

2 Bed

From$1,860

To$1,690

↓ $170

3 Bed

From$2,540

To$2,110

↓ $430

Cocoa Beach, FLZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,610–$1,610/mo

Hillsborough, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,480–$1,480/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 Cocoa Beach, FL

$7,335

Monthly in Hillsborough, NC

$165

Difference

Home Values

Cocoa Beach

Hillsborough

$451K

Median Value

$463K

↓ -2.8%

YoY Change

↓ -1.2%

↑ +32%

5-Year Change

↑ +39.5%

Homes in Hillsborough are 3% more expensive than Cocoa Beach

Calculate payment - Cocoa Beach Calculate payment - Hillsborough

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $7.1K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$594

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

4.7%

Rate difference

Cocoa Beach, 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

Hillsborough, 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

Additional Tax Information

Cocoa Beach, FL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%

Property Tax:0.8%

Hillsborough, NC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.1%

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

Cocoa Beach

Hillsborough

41 Good

Air Quality

51 Moderate

75.6%

Good Air Days

46.4%

98 High

Climate Risk

90 Moderate

🌊🌀🌪

Top Hazards

🌪💨

▲+2.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

58 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

▲+2.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

58 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

Before moving from Cocoa Beach, FL to Hillsborough, NC

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Hillsborough, NC for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Cocoa Beach, FL. 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 Cocoa Beach to Hillsborough moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Cocoa Beach, FL vs Hillsborough, NC

How do the cost estimates for Cocoa Beach, FL and Hillsborough, NC compare?

Hillsborough, NC has a modeled overall cost index 2.9% lower than Cocoa Beach, FL. 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 Cocoa Beach, FL, the model estimates $148,015 in Hillsborough, NC. 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 Cocoa Beach, FL and Hillsborough, NC?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,860/month in Cocoa Beach, FL and $1,690/month in Hillsborough, NC. 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 Florida and North Carolina on TaxTakeHome.com