2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Columbia, MD vs Chapel Hill, NC

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Chapel Hill or is it cheaper to live in Columbia?
- Chapel Hill is 15.7% less expensive than Columbia.

Which city has more affordable housing, Chapel Hill or Columbia?
- Chapel Hill housing costs are 10.2% more expensive than Columbia housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Columbia or is Health Care more affordable in Chapel Hill.
- Health related expenses are 18.5% more in Chapel Hill.
 Columbia, MDChapel Hill, NCUnited States
 Overall  Unlock107.8100
 Food & Groceries104.5  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock102.5100
 Housing142.9  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$550,100$338,100
 Utilities110  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock82.6100
 Miscellaneous151.6  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Columbia    28 Reviews

Over 5 years ago

Lived here for a while, beautiful opportunities, pays well, overall nice  More

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Been here 30 years was great at first but once they added a transit bus from baltimore to columbia 15-18 years ago that was the beginning of the end. And about 5 years  More

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Columbia can be described in one word: unequal. The neighborhood I live in, River Hill, is jam-packed with almost million-dollar homes, while the neighborhoods of Long  More

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Reviews for Chapel Hill    16 Reviews

Between my wife and I, we've lived in Raleigh, Cary, Durham, and Chapel Hill, and it's Chapel Hill we prefer. Franklin Street is always lively with an eclectic mix of  More

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I am not sure if Bert has actually been to the Triangle, but for starters, Durham, as Chapel Hill residents know and envy, is and has been for 5 yrs now a vibrant  More

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someone told me they live in the hills/mountains right near chapel hill, and the summers are much cooler there, while the town itself is easily accessible. is this  More

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