2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Highlands, NC vs Stuart, FL

Change Cities
Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Stuart or is it cheaper to live in Highlands?
- Stuart is 17.5% more expensive than Highlands.

Which city has more affordable housing, Stuart or Highlands?
- Stuart housing costs are 50.8% less expensive than Highlands housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Highlands or is Health Care more affordable in Stuart.
- Health related expenses are 15.0% less in Stuart.
 Highlands, NCStuart, FLUnited States
 Overall  Unlock106.0100
 Food & Groceries106.8  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock103.6100
 Housing205.9  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$363,600$338,100
 Utilities95  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock90.0100
 Miscellaneous90.5  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
DID YOU KNOW?

In order to keep your same standard of living your salary can vary greatly - whether you buy or rent, require child care, or want to include taxes. This is why we are now offering a Premium Salary & Cost of Living Calculator.

Our Premium Calculator Includes:
- Compare Cities cost of living across 9 different categories
- Personal salary calculations can optionally include Home ownership or rental, Child care, and Taxes (with details on state and local sales, income, property and automobile taxes)
- Includes the cost of Child Care for toddlers or infants, at a day care center or home care
- Grocery prices, detailed for 29 staple items in six categories
- Difference in cost of Utilities, including electric, gas and fuel oil
- Health Care Premiums and hospital expenses for major surgeries
- Taxes, Fees and Expenses you should know about, such as local car insurance rates, automobile taxes and registration, commuting costs.
- and 100s of other items you should consider before you relocate

Upgrade to Premium | See Example

Reviews for Highlands    4 Reviews

Love BestPlaces, but most of their statistics are incorrect for the actual town of Highlands which is extremely expensive. I assume they are using information from Macon  More

   |    Reply

Over 4 years ago

This used to be a quaint, quiet, sweet little town, but it has ballooned into a rich man's Mecca. Fist of all, it's a tiny town... so parking is at a premium and it gets  More

   |    Reply

Over 14 years ago

I have run two businesses in Highlands. It is a very seasonal business trend. The rents are high and so is the cost of doing business, including labor cost, cost of  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Highlands

Reviews for Stuart    8 Reviews

After many years of globe trodding, I came upon Stuart out of sheer luck. I was offered a job at one of the local public schools, and I spent three wonderful years  More

   |    Reply

.... our horrendous experience owning a home in this area is not based on a "small" or "isolated" incident. Our family has been involved with SE Florida since the mid  More

   |    Reply

Think twice before you buy a vacation or winter home in this area of Florida, really, think twice. The realtors are astonishingly lawless, predatory, and truly  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Stuart


Premium Subscription
Includes Cost of Living compares for child care, utilities, transportation, health, taxes, housing for home owners vs renters, weather, insurance premiums and so much more.


The premier source for comprehensive city data for over 30 years.

© Best Places. All rights reserved.