Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bentonville, AR and Chapel Hill, NC

For one person, living is cheaper in Bentonville, AR: $2,339 a month against $2,851 in Chapel Hill, NC, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Bentonville, AR, United States
Chapel Hill, NC, United States
Bentonville, AR
🇺🇸 United States
$2,339
/mo nomad
Chapel Hill, NC
🇺🇸 United States
$2,851
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bentonville, AR and in Chapel Hill, NC

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bentonville, AR and in Chapel Hill, NC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,339 per month in Bentonville, AR vs $2,851 in Chapel Hill, NC, rent included.

  • Bentonville, AR $2,339
  • Chapel Hill, NC $2,851

A couple spends around $3,372 per month in Bentonville, AR vs $4,314 in Chapel Hill, NC, rent included.

  • Bentonville, AR $3,372
  • Chapel Hill, NC $4,314

A family of three spends $4,406 per month in Bentonville, AR vs $5,777 in Chapel Hill, NC, rent included.

  • Bentonville, AR $4,406
  • Chapel Hill, NC $5,777

Bentonville, AR is about 18% cheaper than Chapel Hill, NC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bentonville, AR and Chapel Hill, NC sit above the global median – Bentonville, AR by 72%, Chapel Hill, NC by 109%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bentonville, AR
Chapel Hill, NC
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.48 $20.48
$18.13 $18.13
12.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.8 $59.8
$91.5 $91.5
-34.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.48 $12.48
$9.98 $9.98
25.05%
Cappuccino
$5.43 $5.43
$4.61 $4.61
17.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 $2.49
$2.83 $2.83
-12.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 $1.77
$2.02 $2.02
-12.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.37 $6.37
$5.83 $5.83
9.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.65 $7.65
$6.89 $6.89
11.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bentonville, AR
Chapel Hill, NC
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 $1.05
$1.18 $1.18
-11.02%
White Bread (500g)
$2.88 $2.88
$4.58 $4.58
-37.12%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.37 $4.37
$9.64 $9.64
-54.67%
Eggs
$3.88 $3.88
$5.46 $5.46
-28.94%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.06 $9.06
$18.41 $18.41
-50.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.41 $9.41
$13.59 $13.59
-30.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.54 $13.54
$27.26 $27.26
-50.33%
Apples (1kg)
$4.16 $4.16
$7.75 $7.75
-46.32%
Banana (1kg)
$1.27 $1.27
$1.86 $1.86
-31.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.21 $3.21
$6.87 $6.87
-53.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.56 $2.56
$6.02 $6.02
-57.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.75 $1.75
$4.68 $4.68
-62.61%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 $2.18
$4.08 $4.08
-46.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.83 $1.83
$2.72 $2.72
-32.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.11 $2.11
$1.98 $1.98
6.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.22 $8.22
$8.89 $8.89
-7.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.97 $11.97
$15.16 $15.16
-21.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 $1.85
$1.63 $1.63
13.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 $3.03
$3.90 $3.90
-22.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Bentonville, AR
Chapel Hill, NC
Difference
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.53 $2.53
$2.04 $2.04
24.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.26 $1.26
$2.26 $2.26
-44.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$60.6 $60.6
$14.82 $14.82
308.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.92 $0.92
$1.00 $1.00
-8.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.8K $28.8K
$30.2K $30.2K
-4.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K $25.7K
$26.3K $26.3K
-2.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bentonville, AR
Chapel Hill, NC
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$191 $191
$221 $221
-13.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$51.1 $51.1
$51.5 $51.5
-0.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$63.4 $63.4
$69.9 $69.9
-9.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bentonville, AR
Chapel Hill, NC
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$21.57 $21.57
$66.4 $66.4
-67.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.13 $5.13
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.17 $15.17
$13.72 $13.72
10.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bentonville, AR
Chapel Hill, NC
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,150 $1,150
$1,380 $1,380
-16.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.1K $21.1K
$9,932 $9,932
112.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bentonville, AR
Chapel Hill, NC
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.79 $46.79
$38.35 $38.35
22.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.98 $38.98
$31.64 $31.64
23.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$66.0 $66.0
$102 $102
-35.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.8 $76.8
$135 $135
-43.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bentonville, AR
Chapel Hill, NC
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,632 $1,632
$2,015 $2,015
-19.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,217 $1,217
$1,436 $1,436
-15.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,224 $3,224
$3,455 $3,455
-6.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,992 $1,992
$2,574 $2,574
-22.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,211 $5,211
$3,195 $3,195
63.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,259 $2,259
$2,512 $2,512
-10.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bentonville, AR
Chapel Hill, NC
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,617 $5,617
$5,481 $5,481
2.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.56
6.68
-1.80%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bentonville, AR: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chapel Hill, NC: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bentonville, AR
$1.2K
Chapel Hill, NC
$1.4K 18.1% $220
Eating Out
Bentonville, AR
$331
Chapel Hill, NC
$293 11.5% $38
Groceries & Markets
Bentonville, AR
$323
Chapel Hill, NC
$534 65.4% $211
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bentonville, AR
$305
Chapel Hill, NC
$343 12.2% $37
Clothing & Footwear
Bentonville, AR
$103
Chapel Hill, NC
$138 34.4% $35
Sport & Entertainment
Bentonville, AR
$52
Chapel Hill, NC
$94 80.6% $42
Getting Around
Bentonville, AR
$8.8 *
Chapel Hill, NC
$13 * 51.4% $4.5

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,632 in Bentonville, AR versus $2,015 in Chapel Hill, NC. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Bentonville, AR versus $91 in Chapel Hill, NC. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 vs $534 – making Bentonville, AR the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Bentonville, AR
🇺🇸 Chapel Hill, NC
🕒 Local time
17:23 5:23 PM
18:23 6:23 PM
1 h ahead of Bentonville, AR
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
54,164
61,960
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bentonville, AR Chapel Hill, NC 1,360 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Bentonville, AR
  • Chapel Hill, NC

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Bentonville, AR vs Chapel Hill, NC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Bentonville, AR and in Chapel Hill, NC compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,339 in Bentonville, AR, $2,851 in Chapel Hill, NC – Bentonville, AR comes out roughly 18% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Bentonville, AR compared to Chapel Hill, NC?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,508 per month in Bentonville, AR and $4,276 in Chapel Hill, NC. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Bentonville, AR and Chapel Hill, NC?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bentonville, AR, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,632 there versus $2,015 in Chapel Hill, NC.
Which city is more expensive overall: Bentonville, AR or Chapel Hill, NC?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,339 in Bentonville, AR and $2,851 in Chapel Hill, NC. That makes Bentonville, AR about 18% cheaper.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Bentonville, AR and Chapel Hill, NC?
Kindergarten costs $1,150 per month in Bentonville, AR and $1,380 in Chapel Hill, NC. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Where should families live: Bentonville, AR or Chapel Hill, NC?
Families tend to lean toward Bentonville, AR – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Bentonville, AR vs other spots: cost of living compared

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