Last updated 2026-07-10 ยท MovePlan Editorial Team
Close to the national average, a reasonable cost of living for Cary.
Cost of living index (US avg = 100): 104
Median 2BR rent: $1,800/mo
Housing: 113 vs 100
Groceries: 95 vs 100
Utilities: 105 vs 100
Transportation: 97 vs 100
Healthcare: 95 vs 100
Cary offers hot, humid summers and mild winters and a near-average-cost place to land in North Carolina. Housing is the line item that moves your budget most, anchored here to a real median 2BR rent of about $1,800/mo.