Palm Bay, FL vs Wilmington, NC: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Wilmington, NC has a modeled overall cost index 4.7% lower than Palm Bay, FL.

Palm Bay, FL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,835 / month
Wilmington, NC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,740 / 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 Palm Bay, FL and Wilmington, 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 Palm Bay, FL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $184/month in Wilmington, NC

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $147,795 in Wilmington, NC

Regional cost estimates: Palm Bay, FL uses Orlando, FL. Wilmington, NC uses Fayetteville, NC. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 4.7%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$184

Savings

Annual Impact

$2.2K

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.

Palm Bay, FL

Population:136K

Cost Index:

100.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$304K

Wilmington, NC

Population:123K

Cost Index:

95.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$385K

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Palm Bay, FL

The Sunshine State

136K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Florida, this city has a population of 136K residents.

💡 Advantage: Florida has no state income tax!

Wilmington, NC

The Tar Heel State

123K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in North Carolina, this city has a population of 123K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Palm Bay, FL vs Wilmington, 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	Palm Bay, FL	Wilmington, NC	Difference	Change
Other	$1,757/mo	$1,666/mo	↓ $91.54less	5.2%
Housing	$2,364/mo	$2,290/mo	↓ $74.67less	3.2%
Healthcare	$561/mo	$611/mo	↑ $49.85more	8.9%
All Utilities	$565/mo	$528/mo	↓ $37.12less	6.6%
Groceries	$1,004/mo	$976/mo	↓ $28.19less	2.8%
Transportation	$1,248/mo	$1,246/mo	↓ $2.08less	0.2%

Other

↓ 5.2%

Palm Bay, FL

$1,757

Wilmington, NC

$1,666

Difference

$91.54

less

Housing

↓ 3.2%

Palm Bay, FL

$2,364

Wilmington, NC

$2,290

Difference

$74.67

less

Healthcare

↑ 8.9%

Palm Bay, FL

$561

Wilmington, NC

$611

Difference

$49.85

All Utilities

↓ 6.6%

Palm Bay, FL

$565

Wilmington, NC

$528

Difference

$37.12

less

Groceries

↓ 2.8%

Palm Bay, FL

$1,004

Wilmington, NC

$976

Difference

$28.19

less

Transportation

↓ 0.2%

Palm Bay, FL

$1,248

Wilmington, NC

$1,246

Difference

$2.08

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,360

To$1,200

↓ $160

1 Bed

From$1,590

To$1,590

→ $0

2 Bed

From$1,835

To$1,740

↓ $95.00

3 Bed

From$2,500

To$2,280

↓ $220

Palm Bay, FLZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,410–$1,750/mo

Wilmington, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,510–$1,790/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 Palm Bay, FL

$7,316

Monthly in Wilmington, NC

$184

Difference

Home Values

Palm Bay

Wilmington

$304K

Median Value

$385K

↓ -4.5%

YoY Change

↓ -0.3%

↑ +33%

5-Year Change

↑ +45.7%

$231K - $313K

Price Range

$380K - $499K

Homes in Wilmington are 26% more expensive than Palm Bay

Calculate payment - Palm Bay Calculate payment - Wilmington

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

Palm Bay, 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

Wilmington, 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

Palm Bay, FL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%

Property Tax:0.8%

Wilmington, 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

Palm Bay

Wilmington

41 Good

Air Quality

46 Good

75.6%

Good Air Days

63.7%

98 High

Climate Risk

89 Moderate

🌊🌀🌪

Top Hazards

🌀🌪

▲+2.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

58 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

▲+2.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

58 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

Before moving from Palm Bay, FL to Wilmington, NC

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Wilmington, NC for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Palm Bay, 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 Palm Bay to Wilmington moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Palm Bay, FL vs Wilmington, NC

How do the cost estimates for Palm Bay, FL and Wilmington, NC compare?

Wilmington, NC has a modeled overall cost index 4.7% lower than Palm Bay, 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 Palm Bay, FL, the model estimates $147,795 in Wilmington, 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 Palm Bay, FL and Wilmington, NC?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,835/month in Palm Bay, FL and $1,740/month in Wilmington, 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