City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Albany | Cary | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,194/mo | $1,538/mo | 22.4% lower in A |
| Median home value | $321,600 | $477,400 | 32.6% lower in A |
| Median household income | $69,777 | $125,317 | 44.3% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.9 | 97.2 | 7.9% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 110.9 | 90.7 | 22.3% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 101.6 | 98.9 | 2.7% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 101.4 | 97.2 | 4.4% higher in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Albany, you'd need $100,049 in Cary to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Albany and Cary have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. Housing costs are roughly 9% lower in Albany than in Cary. If you earn $80,000 in Albany, you'd need about $80,039 in Cary to keep the same standard of living.