Raleigh vs Greensboro
Raleigh, NC · Greensboro, NC
Greensboro is 16% cheaper than Raleigh overall.
Home Price
Raleigh: $380,000
Greensboro: $235,000
Monthly Rent
Raleigh: $1,131/mo
Greensboro: $949/mo
COL Index
Raleigh: 105
Greensboro: 88
Median Income
Raleigh: $75,200
Greensboro: $55,800
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 $83,810 in Greensboro — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Greensboro cost 38% more (-$145,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Greensboro saves you $182/month — $2,184 per year. Median rent: $1,131/mo in Raleigh vs $949/mo in Greensboro.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Raleigh owners pay roughly $3,002/year in property taxes vs $1,857/year in Greensboro. Rates are comparable.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $75,200 in Raleigh and $55,800 in Greensboro. Greensboro residents earn 26% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 25 minutes in Raleigh vs 23 minutes in Greensboro. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Raleigh to Greensboro, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Raleigh | Equivalent in Greensboro | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $41,905 | -$8,095 |
| $75,000 | $62,857 | -$12,143 |
| $100,000 | $83,810 | -$16,190 |
| $150,000 | $125,714 | -$24,286 |
| $200,000 | $167,619 | -$32,381 |
* 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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Raleigh Calculators
Greensboro Calculators
Related Comparisons
Raleigh vs Greensboro: Common Questions
Is Raleigh or Greensboro cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Greensboro is cheaper overall. Raleigh has a COL index of 105 while Greensboro scores 88 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Raleigh and Greensboro?
The median home price in Raleigh is $380,000 vs $235,000 in Greensboro — a difference of $145,000 (38%).
What salary do I need in Greensboro to match my Raleigh income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Raleigh is equivalent to $83,810 in Greensboro in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Greensboro has a lower property tax rate (0.79% vs 0.79%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $1,857/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.