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 | Cary | Charlotte | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,538/mo | $1,399/mo | 9.9% higher in A |
| Median home value | $477,400 | $312,800 | 52.6% higher in A |
| Median household income | $125,317 | $74,070 | 69.2% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 98.7 | 98.7 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 94.8 | 94.8 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 100.5 | 100.5 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 94.8 | 94.8 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Cary, you'd need $90,964 in Charlotte to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Charlotte, NC is about 9% cheaper overall than Cary, NC, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 9% lower in Charlotte than in Cary. If you earn $80,000 in Cary, you'd need about $72,771 in Charlotte to keep the same standard of living.