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 | Charlotte | Durham | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,399/mo | $1,296/mo | 7.9% higher in A |
| Median home value | $312,800 | $316,600 | 1.2% lower in A |
| Median household income | $74,070 | $74,710 | 0.9% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 102.4 | 101.2 | 1.2% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 100.3 | 98.7 | 1.6% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 88.7 | 86.6 | 2.4% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 105.6 | 102.4 | 3.2% 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 Charlotte, you'd need $95,559 in Durham to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Durham, NC is about 4.4% cheaper overall than Charlotte, NC, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 7% lower in Durham than in Charlotte. If you earn $80,000 in Charlotte, you'd need about $76,447 in Durham to keep the same standard of living.