CostIndexUSA

St. Petersburg, FL vs Wilmington, NC Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

FL
St. Petersburg
100.9
overall index
$1,975/mo rent
More AffordableNC
Wilmington
96.4
overall index
$1,700/mo rent

Wilmington is slightly cheaper than St. Petersburg — 4.5% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in St. Petersburg, you would need $76,400 in Wilmington. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing25.9%
St. Petersburg
125.8
Wilmington
93.2
🛒 Groceries+1.2%
St. Petersburg
95.5
Wilmington
96.6
🚗 Transportation+0.7%
St. Petersburg
102.4
Wilmington
103.1
🏥 Healthcare+0.6%
St. Petersburg
92.7
Wilmington
93.3
Utilities0.7%
St. Petersburg
88.5
Wilmington
87.9

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in St. Petersburg to see what you'd need to earn in Wilmington to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Wilmington, NC
$76,400
$3,600 less needed in Wilmington

Formula: salary × (96.4 ÷ 100.9) = salary × 0.9554. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

St. Petersburg, FL

Median Home Price
$352,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,975
Housing Index
125.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.9×

Wilmington, NC

Median Home Price
$432,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,700
Housing Index
93.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
21.2×

St. Petersburg has 25.9% lower housing costs compared to Wilmington.

Income & Job Market

St. Petersburg, FL

Median Household Income
$72,700
Per Capita Income
$41,400
Unemployment Rate
4.1%
Population
258,308
Top Industries
HealthcareFinanceTourismTechnologyRetail

Wilmington, NC

Median Household Income
$76,900
Per Capita Income
$43,800
Unemployment Rate
4.3%
Population
115,451
Top Industries
HealthcareTourismTechnologyEducationMilitary

Affordability at a Glance

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

St. Petersburg, FL
3.1×income-to-rent ratio

67% of income left after rent (median)

Wilmington, NC
3.8×income-to-rent ratio

73% 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.