Austin vs Raleigh
Austin, TX · Raleigh, NC
Raleigh is 13% cheaper than Austin overall.
Home Price
Austin: $500,000
Raleigh: $380,000
Monthly Rent
Austin: $1,300/mo
Raleigh: $1,131/mo
COL Index
Austin: 121
Raleigh: 105
Median Income
Austin: $83,800
Raleigh: $75,200
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Austin has the same purchasing power as $86,777 in Raleigh — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Raleigh cost 24% more (-$120,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Raleigh saves you $169/month — $2,028 per year. Median rent: $1,300/mo in Austin vs $1,131/mo in Raleigh.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Austin owners pay roughly $9,000/year in property taxes vs $3,002/year in Raleigh. That's a $5,998 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $83,800 in Austin and $75,200 in Raleigh. Raleigh residents earn 10% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 27 minutes in Austin vs 25 minutes in Raleigh. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Austin to Raleigh, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Austin | Equivalent in Raleigh | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $43,388 | -$6,612 |
| $75,000 | $65,083 | -$9,917 |
| $100,000 | $86,777 | -$13,223 |
| $150,000 | $130,165 | -$19,835 |
| $200,000 | $173,554 | -$26,446 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Austin Calculators
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Related Comparisons
Austin vs Raleigh: Common Questions
Is Austin or Raleigh cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Raleigh is cheaper overall. Austin has a COL index of 121 while Raleigh scores 105 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Austin and Raleigh?
The median home price in Austin is $500,000 vs $380,000 in Raleigh — a difference of $120,000 (24%).
What salary do I need in Raleigh to match my Austin income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Austin is equivalent to $86,777 in Raleigh in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Raleigh has a lower property tax rate (0.79% vs 1.8%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $3,002/year vs $9,000/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.