Morehead City, North Carolina
Living in Morehead City, North Carolina is about 5% cheaper than the national average, with a cost of living index of 95 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,827 a month, 5% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $3.23 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 49% of the area's $66,186 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.23
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,827
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$13.49
Combo meal
Electricity
14.95¢
per kWh · ~$135/mo
Car Insurance
$116/mo
$1,392/yr
Median Household Income
$66,186
48.9% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $1,392 in Morehead City. Compare rates:
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Avg rent $1,827/mo in Morehead City. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
$2.29 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026)
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
$4.39 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026)
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
$5.99 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026)
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
$4.79 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026)
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$4.99 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026)
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
$5.99 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026)
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
$7.99 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026)
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
$6.98 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026)
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
$1.25 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026)
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
$3.75 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026)
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
$10.99 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026)
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.42 estimate
$6.76 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026)
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
$4.99 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026)
Apples (3 lb)
$5.20 estimate
$5.99 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026)
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
$3.49 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026)
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.76 estimate
$3.99 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026)
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.94 estimate
$5.00 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026)
Cereal (family size)
$6.20 estimate
Frozen Pizza
$8.65 estimate
$6.49 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026)
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility$2.29 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026) | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon)$4.39 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb)$5.99 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf)$4.79 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb)$4.99 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb)$5.99 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb)$7.99 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb)$6.98 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb)$1.25 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb)$3.75 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz)$10.99 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate$6.76 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $3.72 | $5.42 | +45.7% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb)$4.99 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate$5.99 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.49 | $5.20 | +15.8% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb)$3.49 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate$3.99 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $5.54 | $7.76 | +40.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate$5.00 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.15 | $4.94 | +19.0% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.79 | $6.20 | +29.4% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate$6.49 @ Harris Teeter - Govenors Station (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $6.31 | $8.65 | +37.1% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$13.49
Casual Dining
$24.93
Monthly Spend
$441.46
+5.41% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $8.36
$13.49
+61.4%Wendy's
2022: $9.44
$14.57
+54.3%Chipotle
2022: $10.12
$15.11
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $4.58
$6.36
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Morehead City?
Average 1BR: $1,498/mo · 2BR: $2,156/mo
Morehead City Cost of Living FAQ
Is Morehead City, NC expensive to live in?
Morehead City has a cost of living index of 95, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 5% cheaper than average. It is the 3rd most expensive of the 22 North Carolina cities we track.
What is the average rent in Morehead City, NC?
Typical rent in Morehead City is $1,827 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 5% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,498 and two bedrooms about $2,156. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Morehead City?
Rent in Morehead City rose 2.4% over the past year, slower than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Morehead City?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.23 a gallon in Morehead City as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for North Carolina. That is 19% below the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Morehead City?
Homes in North Carolina pay an average of 14.9 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Morehead City is about $135.
How much is car insurance in Morehead City?
Full coverage car insurance averages $1,392 a year in North Carolina, or about $116 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Morehead City?
Median household income in the Morehead City area is $66,186 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $32,374 a year, or 49% of that income. Groceries are counted at $5,502 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Morehead City compare with the rest of North Carolina?
Rent in Morehead City is 20% above the $1,524 average across the 22 North Carolina cities we track, and its cost of living index of 95 compares with a state average of 95.
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