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Cost of living in Raleigh, NC

Compared with New York. Change city

$1,632a month less for the typical home than in New York1,2

That's $19,586 a year, enough to cover 8 months of the mortgage in Raleigh. The average commute is 11 minutes shorter each way, about 1.8 hours a week back4.

Typical home $445,000 vs $742,000. 2-bedroom rent3 $1,673 vs $1,997. See the math

By Sol Lakein.Checked October 2026.How we compare costs

Raleigh skyline from the Boylan Bridge, RaleighElijah Mears / Unsplash
All cities
  • College townNC State University
  • Suburban spaceWake County suburbs
  • Job hubResearch Triangle Park

Raleigh at a glance, next to New York

5

What the median home costs each month

1,2
New York metro$4,078/mo
$742,000 typical home
Raleigh$2,445/mo
$445,000 typical home

If you rent: median 2-bedroom

3
New York metro$1,997/mo
Raleigh$1,673/mo
About $324 a month less in rent
Rent by apartment size in Raleigh

Day-to-day costs

  • Housing costs63% pricier than averageNew York: 49% above
  • Salary that matches $150,000 in New York6$130,803
  • Net move-ins from other US metros, 2024-257+19,974
Raleigh in a paragraph

The median listed home in Raleigh is $445,000 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 6% above the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $2,445 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $1,673 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 98.2, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $130,803 here.

Weather

9
  • 31.8°January low
  • 90.8°July high
  • 5.2 inSnow per year

Home prices next to New York

1
Typical home for sale
New York metro$742,000
Raleigh$445,000
40% less, a $297,000 difference
Price per square foot
New York metro$494
Raleigh$213
2.3 times the space for the money

Your New York, in Raleigh

The places you use now, matched to their closest counterpart.

  • Big city park
    In New YorkCentral Park843 acres
    In RaleighDorothea Dix Park308 acres, about one mile southwest of downtown
  • Walking and biking trail
    In New YorkThe High Line1.45 miles, Gansevoort Street to 34th Street
    In RaleighCapital Area GreenwayOver 100 miles of trails
  • Art museum
    In New YorkThe Met
    In RaleighNorth Carolina Museum of ArtFree admission to the permanent collection and the Museum Park; some special exhibitions charge
  • Natural history museum
    In New YorkAmerican Museum of Natural History
    In RaleighNorth Carolina Museum of Natural SciencesGeneral admission is free
Show 5 more matches
  • Broadway and the symphony
    In New YorkBroadway and Lincoln Center
    In RaleighMartin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts (formerly Duke Energy Center)2,277-seat auditorium at the south end of Fayetteville Street; has hosted touring Broadway musicals including The Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables and The Lion King
  • Big-league arena
    In New YorkMadison Square Garden
    In RaleighLenovo Center (formerly PNC Arena)Seats 18,547 for hockey; home of the Carolina Hurricanes (NHL) and NC State men's basketball
  • Office and career hub
    In New YorkMidtown and the Financial District
    In RaleighResearch Triangle Park7,000 acres between Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill; more than 300 companies including IBM, Cisco and GSK
  • Food hall
    In New YorkChelsea Market
    In RaleighMorgan Street Food Hall and Transfer Co. Food HallRaleigh's two main food halls
  • Beach day
    In New YorkRockaway Beach and Jones Beach
    In RaleighWrightsville Beach132 miles, about 2 hours by car via I-40

See how Raleigh ranks for your household

Answer a few quick questions and see how Raleigh ranks against 53 other cities for your household.

See how Raleigh ranks for you

Is Raleigh a good place to live?

Raleigh fits families who want prices 2% below the US average and mild winters. The main trade-off is homes list 6% above the US median. Here is what you gain and what you give up.

What you gain

  • Prices 2% below the US averageEveryday prices, rent included, index at 98.2 against a US average of 100.BEA regional price parities, 2024
  • Mild wintersJanuary lows average 31.8°F with 5.2 inches of snow a year.NOAA 1991-2020 normals
  • Nonstop flights to New YorkFrom RDU to JFK, LGA, EWR.Airport route page, October 13, 2026
  • People are moving in19,974 more people moved here from other US metros than left, July 2024 to July 2025.US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025
Show 2 more
  • A real job marketResearch Triangle ParkSlower Sundays city profile
  • University townNC State UniversitySlower Sundays city profile

What you trade

  • Homes list 6% above the US median$445,000 median listing against $419,250 nationally.Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026
  • Hot summersJuly highs average 90.8°F.NOAA 1991-2020 normals

Is Raleigh a good place to live? Read the full pros and cons

More on Raleigh and North Carolina

Show 11 links

Raleigh cost of living: questions people ask

What is the cost of living in Raleigh, NC?

The median listed home in Raleigh is $445,000 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 6% above the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $2,445 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $1,673 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 98.2, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $130,803 here.

How much would I save moving from New York to Raleigh?

The median listed home is $445,000 in Raleigh against $742,000 in the New York metro, 40% less. On a mortgage for each median home, that is about $1,632 a month less in principal and interest (20% down, 7.32%, Freddie Mac, October 22, 2026).

How much is rent in Raleigh?

The median gross rent for a 2-bedroom in the Raleigh metro is $1,673 a month, including utilities the renter pays (Census American Community Survey, 2025). In the New York metro it is $1,997, $324 more. The US median is $1,563.

What salary in Raleigh matches $150,000 in New York?

$130,803. That is $150,000 adjusted by the BEA regional price parities for both metros (98.2 in Raleigh, 112.6 in New York, 2024).

Does Raleigh pay you to move there?

None of the relocation incentive programs we track cover Raleigh as of October 2026.

What is the weather like in Raleigh?

January lows average 31.8°F and July highs 90.8°F, with 5.2 inches of snow a year (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Raleigh-Durham International Airport).

Notes on the numbers
  1. 1Home prices: the typical home is the median listing price, with price per square foot, from Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. The comparison metro uses the same series and month.
  2. 2Monthly cost: Principal and interest on the median listed home with 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026). Excludes taxes, insurance and HOA. Rate source
  3. 3Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, median gross rent for 2-bedroom units (rent plus utilities). Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, not only new leases. Census table
  4. 4Commute: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table S0801, mean travel time to work (one way, workers who do not work from home), 2025. Hours back assume a 5-day round trip. Census table
  5. 5At a glance: a difference within 5% counts as about the same.
  6. 6Everyday prices, housing costs and the matching salary: BEA regional price parities, 2024, US = 100.
  7. 7Net move-ins: Census Vintage 2025, via Regions Financial.
  8. 8Flights: airport route pages, October 2026.
  9. 9Weather: NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
Sources for this page