Gastonia, NC vs Daytona Beach, FL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Daytona Beach, FL has a modeled overall cost index 7.3% higher than Gastonia, NC.

Gastonia, NC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,300 / month
Daytona Beach, FL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,635 / 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 Gastonia, NC and Daytona Beach, 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 Gastonia, NC

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $492/month in Daytona Beach, FL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $155,899 in Daytona Beach, FL

Regional cost estimates: Gastonia, NC uses Charlotte, NC. Daytona Beach, FL uses Orlando, FL. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 7.3%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$492

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$5.9K

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.

Gastonia, NC

Population:84K

Cost Index:

92.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$266K

Daytona Beach, FL

Population:82K

Cost Index:

98.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$230K

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Gastonia, NC

The Tar Heel State

84K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in North Carolina, this city has a population of 84K residents.

Daytona Beach, FL

The Sunshine State

82K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Florida, this city has a population of 82K residents.

💡 Advantage: Florida has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Gastonia, NC vs Daytona Beach, 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	Gastonia, NC	Daytona Beach, FL	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,272/mo	$2,514/mo	↑ $242more	10.6%
Other	$1,746/mo	$1,868/mo	↑ $122more	7.0%
Transportation	$1,229/mo	$1,327/mo	↑ $97.85more	8.0%
Healthcare	$670/mo	$601/mo	↓ $68.34less	10.2%
All Utilities	$545/mo	$605/mo	↑ $60.56more	11.1%
Groceries	$1,038/mo	$1,075/mo	↑ $37.17more	3.6%

Housing

↑ 10.6%

Gastonia, NC

$2,272

Daytona Beach, FL

$2,514

Difference

$242

Other

↑ 7.0%

Gastonia, NC

$1,746

Daytona Beach, FL

$1,868

Difference

$122

Transportation

↑ 8.0%

Gastonia, NC

$1,229

Daytona Beach, FL

$1,327

Difference

$97.85

Healthcare

↓ 10.2%

Gastonia, NC

$670

Daytona Beach, FL

$601

Difference

$68.34

less

All Utilities

↑ 11.1%

Gastonia, NC

$545

Daytona Beach, FL

$605

Difference

$60.56

Groceries

↑ 3.6%

Gastonia, NC

$1,038

Daytona Beach, FL

$1,075

Difference

$37.17

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,130

To$1,155

↑ $25.00

1 Bed

From$1,190

To$1,330

↑ $140

2 Bed

From$1,300

To$1,635

↑ $335

3 Bed

From$1,600

To$2,155

↑ $555

Gastonia, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,160–$1,370/mo

Daytona Beach, FLZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,300–$1,360/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 Gastonia, NC

$7,992

Monthly in Daytona Beach, FL

$492

Difference

Home Values

Gastonia

Daytona Beach

$266K

Median Value

$230K

↓ -0.1%

YoY Change

↓ -8.7%

↑ +42.8%

5-Year Change

↑ +23.9%

$209K - $346K

Price Range

$177K - $282K

Homes in Daytona Beach are 14% less expensive than Gastonia

Calculate payment - Gastonia Calculate payment - Daytona Beach

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

Gastonia, 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

Daytona 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

Additional Tax Information

Gastonia, NC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.1%

Property Tax:0.8%

Daytona Beach, 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

Gastonia

Daytona Beach

51 Moderate

Air Quality

41 Good

46.2%

Good Air Days

75.6%

97 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌀🌪

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

58 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

58 days

Before moving from Gastonia, NC to Daytona Beach, FL

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Gastonia, NC vs Daytona Beach, FL

How do the cost estimates for Gastonia, NC and Daytona Beach, FL compare?

Daytona Beach, FL has a modeled overall cost index 7.3% higher than Gastonia, 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 Gastonia, NC, the model estimates $155,899 in Daytona Beach, 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 Gastonia, NC and Daytona Beach, FL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,300/month in Gastonia, NC and $1,635/month in Daytona Beach, 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