Moving to North Carolina from Missouri

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Missouri to North Carolina? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Missouri to North Carolina, you would find that North Carolina is 10.8% more expensive than Missouri. A $75,000 salary in Missouri would need to be roughly $87,177 in North Carolina to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Missouri and North Carolina.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $87,177

To maintain the same standard of living in North Carolina

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 1.2% more

Groceries

pay 15.6% more

Transportation

pay 2.1% more

Housing

pay 17.9% more

Childcare

pay 26.6% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 10.4% more

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in North Carolina compared to Missouri.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MO
453
NC
379
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MO
2070
NC
1998

North Carolina performs significantly better than Missouri across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

MO
8.9%
NC
9.6%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MO
37.5%
NC
33.6%

Missouri generally does better on health & wellbeing, though North Carolina leads in adult obesity rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

MO
$215,600
NC
$259,400
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

MO
$996
NC
$1,162

Missouri performs better than North Carolina across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MO
88.3%
NC
88.7%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

MO
24 min
NC
25 min

Missouri generally does better on infrastructure, though North Carolina leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MO
3.3%
NC
3.4%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MO
$56,344
NC
$59,308

Missouri generally does better on employment & economy, though North Carolina leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

MO
75.1 yrs
NC
76.1 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

MO
22%
NC
22%

North Carolina performs significantly better than Missouri across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Columbia Rain: 46.3 in/yr (1175 mm)
66° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Asheville Rain: 37.0 in/yr (940 mm)
67° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Columbia Asheville
Jan–Mar 47°/28°F (8°/-2°C) 52°/32°F (11°/0°C)
Apr–Jun 76°/55°F (24°/13°C) 75°/53°F (24°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) 82°/62°F (28°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 55°/36°F (13°/2°C) 58°/38°F (15°/3°C)
View all months
Month Columbia Asheville
Jan 40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C) 47°/28°F (8.1°/-2.4°C)
Feb 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C) 50°/31°F (10.2°/-0.6°C)
Mar 56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C) 58°/37°F (14.4°/2.9°C)
Apr 67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C) 67°/45°F (19.7°/7.3°C)
May 75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C) 75°/53°F (23.9°/11.7°C)
Jun 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C) 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C)
Jul 90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C) 85°/65°F (29.3°/18.1°C)
Aug 88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C) 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.7°C)
Sep 80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C) 77°/57°F (25.1°/13.8°C)
Oct 68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C) 68°/46°F (19.9°/7.9°C)
Nov 55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C) 58°/38°F (14.7°/3.1°C)
Dec 42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C) 49°/30°F (9.4°/-0.9°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in North Carolina than Missouri?

On average North Carolina is around 16% pricier than Missouri, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to North Carolina?

Budget about $21,794 for 3 months in North Carolina (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is North Carolina safe?

North Carolina performs significantly better than Missouri across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in North Carolina compared to Missouri?

Missouri generally does better on health & wellbeing, though North Carolina leads in adult obesity rate.

What's the weather like in North Carolina compared to Missouri?

The average high temperature in Asheville is 67°F, compared to 66°F in Columbia. Asheville receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Columbia gets 46.3 in.

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