Cost of Living: Charlotte, NC vs Winston-Salem, NC

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,254/mo in Charlotte, NC versus $4,254/mo in Winston-Salem, NC. In the model, rent is about 21.91% of gross in Charlotte, NC versus 15.05% in Winston-Salem, NC, so Winston-Salem, NC tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Charlotte, NC
$4,254/mo
Income level: below
Take-home in Winston-Salem, NC
$4,254/mo
Income level: above
Rent share (1BR) in Charlotte, NC
21.91%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Winston-Salem, NC
15.05%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Charlotte, NC and Winston-Salem, NC.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Charlotte, NC
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Winston-Salem, NC
  • Lower home prices: Winston-Salem, NC
  • Higher median household income: Charlotte, NC

Cost of Living Index

Charlotte, NC: 95.6 (U.S. = 100) · Winston-Salem, NC: 100 (U.S. = 100)

Charlotte, NC has a lower cost-of-living index than Winston-Salem, NC, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Charlotte, NC: $1,429/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Winston-Salem, NC: $982/mo

Median rent in Charlotte, NC is $447/mo higher than in Winston-Salem, NC.

Median Home Price

Charlotte, NC: $351,500 · Winston-Salem, NC: $208,200

Median home price in Charlotte, NC is $143,300 higher than in Winston-Salem, NC.

Median Household Income

Charlotte, NC: $78,438 · Winston-Salem, NC: $57,673

Charlotte, NC has a higher median household income than Winston-Salem, NC by $20,765.

Charlotte, NC overview · Winston-Salem, NC overview · Popular comparisons