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 | Phoenix | Raleigh | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,322/mo | $1,371/mo | 3.6% lower in A |
| Median home value | $340,200 | $347,000 | 2.0% lower in A |
| Median household income | $72,092 | $78,631 | 8.3% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 103.1 | 102.1 | 1.0% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 123.5 | 99.9 | 23.7% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 102.5 | 88.1 | 16.4% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 101.2 | 104.8 | 3.4% 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 Phoenix, you'd need $96,718 in Raleigh to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Raleigh, NC is about 3.3% cheaper overall than Phoenix, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 4% lower in Phoenix than in Raleigh. If you earn $80,000 in Phoenix, you'd need about $77,374 in Raleigh to keep the same standard of living.