CostIndexUSA

Cleveland, OH vs Winston-Salem, NC Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

OH
Cleveland
93.9
overall index
$1,400/mo rent
More AffordableNC
Winston-Salem
92
overall index
$1,075/mo rent

Winston-Salem is slightly cheaper than Cleveland — 2.0% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Cleveland, you would need $78,400 in Winston-Salem. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing10.1%
Cleveland
79.4
Winston-Salem
71.4
🛒 Groceries+3.2%
Cleveland
93.6
Winston-Salem
96.6
🚗 Transportation0.8%
Cleveland
103.9
Winston-Salem
103.1
🏥 Healthcare0.7%
Cleveland
94
Winston-Salem
93.3
Utilities7.9%
Cleveland
96
Winston-Salem
88.4

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Cleveland to see what you'd need to earn in Winston-Salem to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Winston-Salem, NC
$78,400
$1,600 less needed in Winston-Salem

Formula: salary × (92 ÷ 93.9) = salary × 0.9798. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Cleveland, OH

Median Home Price
$236,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,400
Housing Index
79.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.0×

Winston-Salem, NC

Median Home Price
$355,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,075
Housing Index
71.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
27.5×

Cleveland has 10.1% lower housing costs compared to Winston-Salem.

Income & Job Market

Cleveland, OH

Median Household Income
$67,600
Per Capita Income
$38,500
Unemployment Rate
4.8%
Population
372,624
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingFinanceTechnologyEducation

Winston-Salem, NC

Median Household Income
$64,400
Per Capita Income
$36,700
Unemployment Rate
4.2%
Population
247,945
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingFinanceEducationGovernment

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Cleveland, OH
4.0×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Winston-Salem, NC
5.0×income-to-rent ratio

80% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.