Winston-Salem, NC vs Lexington, KY: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Lexington, KY has a modeled overall cost index 4.5% higher than Winston-Salem, NC.

Winston-Salem, NC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,315 / month
Lexington, KY · modeled 2BR rent: $1,390 / 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 Winston-Salem, NC and Lexington, KY 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 Winston-Salem, NC

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $198/month in Lexington, KY

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $152,374 in Lexington, KY

Overall Cost

↑ 4.5%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$198

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$2.4K

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.

Winston-Salem, NC

Population:250K

Cost Index:

89.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$254K

Lexington, KY

Population:323K

Cost Index:

93.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$345K

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Winston-Salem, NC

The Tar Heel State

250K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in North Carolina, this city has a population of 250K residents.

Lexington, KY

The Bluegrass State

323K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Kentucky, this city has a population of 323K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Winston-Salem, NC vs Lexington, KY

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	Winston-Salem, NC	Lexington, KY	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,288/mo	$2,511/mo	↑ $223more	9.8%
Other	$1,689/mo	$1,761/mo	↑ $71.89more	4.3%
All Utilities	$557/mo	$499/mo	↓ $58.66less	10.5%
Healthcare	$645/mo	$592/mo	↓ $53.21less	8.2%
Transportation	$1,291/mo	$1,305/mo	↑ $14.67more	1.1%
Groceries	$1,030/mo	$1,030/mo	→ $0	0.0%

Housing

↑ 9.8%

Winston-Salem, NC

$2,288

Lexington, KY

$2,511

Difference

$223

Other

↑ 4.3%

Winston-Salem, NC

$1,689

Lexington, KY

$1,761

Difference

$71.89

All Utilities

↓ 10.5%

Winston-Salem, NC

$557

Lexington, KY

$499

Difference

$58.66

less

Healthcare

↓ 8.2%

Winston-Salem, NC

$645

Lexington, KY

$592

Difference

$53.21

less

Transportation

↑ 1.1%

Winston-Salem, NC

$1,291

Lexington, KY

$1,305

Difference

$14.67

Groceries

→ 0.0%

Winston-Salem, NC

$1,030

Lexington, KY

$1,030

Difference

same

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Lexington, KY: Lexington Occupational Tax$3,750/yr (2.5%)

Winston-Salem, NC has no local income tax recorded in this dataset.

Local taxes are shown separately and are not included in the living-cost totals. Coverage is incomplete; an absent entry does not establish that no tax applies.

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,065

To$960

↓ $105

1 Bed

From$1,155

To$1,180

↑ $25.00

2 Bed

From$1,315

To$1,390

↑ $75.00

3 Bed

From$1,715

To$1,900

↑ $185

Winston-Salem, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $960–$1,260/mo

Lexington, KYZIP-level data

1BR range: $940–$1,500/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 Winston-Salem, NC

$7,698

Monthly in Lexington, KY

$198

Difference

Home Values

Winston-Salem

Lexington

$254K

Median Value

$345K

↑ +0.4%

YoY Change

↑ +5%

↑ +37.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +43.5%

$168K - $363K

Price Range

$214K - $711K

Homes in Lexington are 36% more expensive than Winston-Salem

Calculate payment - Winston-Salem Calculate payment - Lexington

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $375

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$31.25

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.3%

Rate difference

Winston-Salem, 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

Lexington, KY

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Kentucky State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.7%

$44.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,791/month

$105.5K

Additional Tax Information

Winston-Salem, NC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.1%

Property Tax:0.8%

Lexington, KY Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

💡 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.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Winston-Salem, NC: No data yet

Lexington, KY

27/100

1.1% sidewalk tags · 2.9% cycling tags

Environment

Winston-Salem

Lexington

47 Good

Air Quality

41 Good

57.4%

Good Air Days

79.2%

92 Moderate

Climate Risk

92 Moderate

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌪💨

▲+2.8°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

30 days

Heat Days >95°F

21 days

▲+2.8°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

30 days

Heat Days >95°F

21 days

Before moving from Winston-Salem, NC to Lexington, KY

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Lexington, KY for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Winston-Salem, 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 Winston-Salem to Lexington moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Winston-Salem, NC vs Lexington, KY

How do the cost estimates for Winston-Salem, NC and Lexington, KY compare?

Lexington, KY has a modeled overall cost index 4.5% higher than Winston-Salem, 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 Winston-Salem, NC, the model estimates $152,374 in Lexington, KY. 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 Winston-Salem, NC and Lexington, KY?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,315/month in Winston-Salem, NC and $1,390/month in Lexington, KY. 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 Kentucky on TaxTakeHome.com