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 | Durham | Raleigh | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,296/mo | $1,371/mo | 5.5% lower in A |
| Median home value | $316,600 | $347,000 | 8.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $74,710 | $78,631 | 5.0% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 101.2 | 102.1 | 0.9% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 98.7 | 99.9 | 1.2% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 86.6 | 88.1 | 1.7% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 102.4 | 104.8 | 2.3% lower 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 Durham, you'd need $103,376 in Raleigh to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Durham, NC is about 3.3% cheaper overall than Raleigh, NC, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 5% lower in Durham than in Raleigh. If you earn $80,000 in Durham, you'd need about $82,701 in Raleigh to keep the same standard of living.