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

Which city costs less?

Wilmington, NC has a modeled overall cost index 4.6% higher than Palm Coast, FL.

Palm Coast, FL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,920 / 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 Coast, 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 Coast, FL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $482/month in Wilmington, NC

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $155,782 in Wilmington, NC

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

Overall Cost

↑ 4.6%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$482

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$5.8K

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.

Palm Coast, FL

Population:102K

Cost Index:

91.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$375K

Wilmington, NC

Population:123K

Cost Index:

95.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$385K

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Palm Coast, FL

The Sunshine State

102K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Florida, this city has a population of 102K 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 Coast, 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 Coast, FL	Wilmington, NC	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,103/mo	$2,498/mo	↑ $395more	18.8%
Other	$1,718/mo	$1,817/mo	↑ $99.68more	5.8%
Healthcare	$612/mo	$667/mo	↑ $55.14more	9.0%
All Utilities	$616/mo	$576/mo	↓ $39.73less	6.5%
Groceries	$1,094/mo	$1,064/mo	↓ $29.39less	2.7%
Transportation	$1,358/mo	$1,359/mo	↑ $1.11more	0.1%

Housing

↑ 18.8%

Palm Coast, FL

$2,103

Wilmington, NC

$2,498

Difference

$395

Other

↑ 5.8%

Palm Coast, FL

$1,718

Wilmington, NC

$1,817

Difference

$99.68

Healthcare

↑ 9.0%

Palm Coast, FL

$612

Wilmington, NC

$667

Difference

$55.14

All Utilities

↓ 6.5%

Palm Coast, FL

$616

Wilmington, NC

$576

Difference

$39.73

less

Groceries

↓ 2.7%

Palm Coast, FL

$1,094

Wilmington, NC

$1,064

Difference

$29.39

less

Transportation

↑ 0.1%

Palm Coast, FL

$1,358

Wilmington, NC

$1,359

Difference

$1.11

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,360

To$1,200

↓ $160

1 Bed

From$1,520

To$1,590

↑ $70.00

2 Bed

From$1,920

To$1,740

↓ $180

3 Bed

From$2,620

To$2,280

↓ $340

Palm Coast, FLZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,520–$1,520/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 Coast, FL

$7,982

Monthly in Wilmington, NC

$482

Difference

Home Values

Palm Coast

Wilmington

$375K

Median Value

$385K

↓ -3.6%

YoY Change

↓ -0.3%

↑ +29.4%

5-Year Change

↑ +45.7%

$375K

Price Range

$380K - $499K

Homes in Wilmington are 3% more expensive than Palm Coast

Calculate payment - Palm Coast 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 Coast, 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 Coast, 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 Coast

Wilmington

50 Good

Air Quality

46 Good

51.9%

Good Air Days

63.7%

97 High

Climate Risk

89 Moderate

🌊🌅🌀

Top Hazards

🌀🌪

▲+2.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

▲+2.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

Before moving from Palm Coast, 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 Coast, 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 Coast 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 Coast, FL vs Wilmington, NC

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

Wilmington, NC has a modeled overall cost index 4.6% higher than Palm Coast, 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 Coast, FL, the model estimates $155,782 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 Coast, FL and Wilmington, NC?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,920/month in Palm Coast, 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