Raleigh vs Durham
Raleigh, NC · Durham, NC
Raleigh and Durham have similar costs of living.
Home Price
Raleigh: $380,000
Durham: $360,000
Monthly Rent
Raleigh: $1,131/mo
Durham: $1,350/mo
COL Index
Raleigh: 105
Durham: 104
Median Income
Raleigh: $75,200
Durham: $66,800
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 Raleigh has the same purchasing power as $99,048 in Durham — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Durham cost 5% more (-$20,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Raleigh saves you $219/month — $2,628 per year. Median rent: $1,131/mo in Raleigh vs $1,350/mo in Durham.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Raleigh owners pay roughly $3,002/year in property taxes vs $2,844/year in Durham. Rates are comparable.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $75,200 in Raleigh and $66,800 in Durham. Durham residents earn 11% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 25 minutes in Raleigh vs 24 minutes in Durham. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Raleigh to Durham, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Raleigh | Equivalent in Durham | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $49,524 | -$476 |
| $75,000 | $74,286 | -$714 |
| $100,000 | $99,048 | -$952 |
| $150,000 | $148,571 | -$1,429 |
| $200,000 | $198,095 | -$1,905 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
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Raleigh Calculators
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Raleigh vs Durham: Common Questions
Is Raleigh or Durham cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Durham is cheaper overall. Raleigh has a COL index of 105 while Durham scores 104 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Raleigh and Durham?
The median home price in Raleigh is $380,000 vs $360,000 in Durham — a difference of $20,000 (5%).
What salary do I need in Durham to match my Raleigh income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Raleigh is equivalent to $99,048 in Durham in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Durham has a lower property tax rate (0.79% vs 0.79%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,844/year vs $3,002/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.