Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gastonia, NC and Auburn, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Gastonia, NC: $2,247 a month against $2,589 in Auburn, WA, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Auburn, WA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

110

Cost of Living Index in Gastonia, NC
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Gastonia, NC Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Auburn, WA
Learn more

Auburn, WA Living Index

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Gastonia, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,247

/mo nomad

Auburn, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,589

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gastonia, NC and in Auburn, WA

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

A single person spends $2,247 per month in Gastonia, NC vs $2,589 in Auburn, WA, rent included.

Gastonia, NC $2,247
Auburn, WA $2,589

A couple spends around $3,588 per month in Gastonia, NC vs $4,092 in Auburn, WA, rent included.

Gastonia, NC $3,588
Auburn, WA $4,092

A family of three spends $4,928 per month in Gastonia, NC vs $5,595 in Auburn, WA, rent included.

Gastonia, NC $4,928
Auburn, WA $5,595

Gastonia, NC is about 13% cheaper than Auburn, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Gastonia, NC and Auburn, WA sit above the global median – Gastonia, NC by 66%, Auburn, WA by 91%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.86 $20.86

$19.69 $19.69

5.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.4 $50.4

$96.2 $96.2

-47.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 $5.61

$11.71 $11.71

-52.09%

Cappuccino

$3.92 $3.92

$4.46 $4.46

-12.11%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.05 $2.05

20.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.01 $2.01

-2.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 $5.06

$4.93 $4.93

2.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.78 $7.78

$7.18 $7.18

8.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$0.89 $0.89

-7.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.56 $2.56

17.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.75 $3.75

-23.20%

Eggs

$3.71 $3.71

$3.04 $3.04

22.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.93 $11.93

$8.58 $8.58

39.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.80 $13.80

$13.75 $13.75

0.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.19 $15.19

$18.56 $18.56

-18.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.19 $4.19

$4.75 $4.75

-11.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.80 $1.80

-13.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$3.81 $3.81

7.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$4.15 $4.15

15.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.11 $3.11

-24.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.26 $3.26

-10.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.83 $1.83

34.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.11 $2.11

-18.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.71 $8.71

$10.79 $10.79

-19.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.93 $14.93

$15.03 $15.03

-0.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.70 $1.70

2.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.92 $2.92

34.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.46 $4.46

$3.54 $3.54

25.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.16 $3.16

$1.84 $1.84

71.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.54 $34.54

$50.2 $50.2

-31.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.30 $1.30

-23.08%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.1K $28.1K

$25.6K $25.6K

9.83%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.3K $25.3K

$24.5K $24.5K

3.34%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$181 $181

$216 $216

-16.47%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$64.2 $64.2

$40.51 $40.51

58.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 $72.3

$79.5 $79.5

-8.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.97 $27.97

$34.39 $34.39

-18.67%

Cinema Ticket

$12.61 $12.61

$14.77 $14.77

-14.62%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,595 $2,595

$1,077 $1,077

140.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K $12.2K

$16.8K $16.8K

-27.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.16 $35.16

$55.7 $55.7

-36.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.2 $50.2

$46.82 $46.82

7.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 $68.7

$78.9 $78.9

-12.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 $99.8

$81.3 $81.3

22.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 $1,268

$1,470 $1,470

-13.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,070 $1,070

$1,381 $1,381

-22.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,880 $2,880

$2,298 $2,298

25.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,416 $2,416

$2,844 $2,844

-15.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,401 $2,401

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,317 $2,317

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,025 $4,025

$6,864 $6,864

-41.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.2

6.59

-5.92%

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

Last update for Gastonia, NC: October 18, 2026

Last update for Auburn, WA: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Gastonia, NC

$1.1K 47.6%

Auburn, WA

$1.4K 53.4% 29.1% $312

Groceries & Markets

Gastonia, NC

$375 16.7%

Auburn, WA

$375 14.5% 0% $0.1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gastonia, NC

$317 14.1%

Auburn, WA

$336 13% 6% $19

Eating Out

Gastonia, NC

$289 12.9%

Auburn, WA

$301 11.6% 4.2% $12

Clothing & Footwear

Gastonia, NC

$114 5.1%

Auburn, WA

$118 4.6% 3.4% $3.9

Sport & Entertainment

Gastonia, NC

$53 2.4%

Auburn, WA

$64 2.5% 20.2% $11

Getting Around

Gastonia, NC

$28 * 1.3%

Auburn, WA

$13 * 0.5% 54.6% $15

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,268 in Gastonia, NC versus $1,470 in Auburn, WA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 71% higher in Auburn, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Gastonia, NC versus $96.0 in Auburn, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $375 vs $375 – making Gastonia, NC the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Gastonia, NC

🇺🇸 Auburn, WA

🕒 Local time

20:52 8:52 PM

17:52 5:52 PM

3 h behind Gastonia, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

69,904

76,143

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Gastonia, NC Auburn, WA 3,630 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Gastonia, NC
Auburn, WA

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

Gastonia, NC vs Auburn, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Auburn, WA costs about 15% more than Gastonia, NC, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,371 per month in Gastonia, NC and $3,884 in Auburn, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gastonia, NC, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,247 in Gastonia, NC and $2,589 in Auburn, WA. That's a gap of about 15%.

Kindergarten costs $2,595 per month in Gastonia, NC and $1,077 in Auburn, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Gastonia, NC, where all-in costs run around $2,247, than in Auburn, WA at $2,589. In Gastonia, NC it covers expenses comfortably, while in Auburn, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gastonia, NC – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Gastonia, NC. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Auburn, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.