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Charlotte vs Raleigh

Charlotte costs less to buy into: about $110 a month less on the typical home.

By Sol Lakein. Updated November 2026.

Charlotte$424,950 · $2,335/moRaleigh$445,000 · $2,445/mo

Side by side

The better number in each row is green, with a check mark.

Money

  • Typical home for sale1
    Charlotte
    Lower$424,950
    Raleigh
    $445,000
  • Monthly mortgage on it2
    Charlotte
    Lower$2,335
    Raleigh
    $2,445
  • 2-bedroom rent3
    Charlotte
    Lower$1,589
    Raleigh
    $1,673
  • Price per square foot1
    Charlotte
    $217
    Raleigh
    Lower$213
  • Everyday prices4
    Charlotte
    Lower3% below avg
    Raleigh
    2% below avg
  • Housing costs4
    Charlotte
    Lower2% below avg
    Raleigh
    3% above avg
  • Salary that matches $150,000 in New York4
    Charlotte
    $129,725
    Raleigh
    $130,803

Weather

  • January low5
    Charlotte
    31.8°F
    Raleigh
    31.8°F
  • July high5
    Charlotte
    Cooler90.3°F
    Raleigh
    90.8°F
  • Snow per year5
    Charlotte
    3.5 in
    Raleigh
    5.2 in

Trips home and more

  • Nonstop to New York6
    Charlotte
    Yes, CLT
    Raleigh
    Yes, RDU
  • Net move-ins from other US metros, 2024-257
    Charlotte
    +24,404
    Raleigh
    +19,974
  • Average commute, one way8
    Charlotte
    28 min
    Raleigh
    Shorter26 min
  • Pays you to move9
    Charlotte
    No program
    Raleigh
    No program
See it as one table, with sources
MeasureCharlotteRaleighSource
Typical home for sale$424,950$445,000Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026
Monthly mortgage on it$2,335$2,445Principal and interest, 20% down, 7.32%
2-bedroom rent$1,589$1,673Census ACS 2025, incl. utilities
Price per square foot$217$213Realtor.com via FRED
Everyday prices3% below avg2% below avgBEA regional price parities, 2024
Housing costs2% below avg3% above avgBEA, 2024
Salary that matches $150,000 in New York$129,725$130,803BEA price parities, 2024
January low31.8°F31.8°FNOAA 1991-2020 normals
July high90.3°F90.8°FNOAA 1991-2020 normals
Snow per year3.5 in5.2 inNOAA 1991-2020 normals
Nonstop to New YorkYes, CLTYes, RDUAirport route pages, October 2026
Net move-ins from other US metros, 2024-25+24,404+19,974US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025
Average commute, one way28 min26 minCensus ACS 2025 1-year, table S0801, mean travel time to work (one way, workers who do not work from home), 2025
Pays you to moveNo programNo programOfficial program pages, October 2026

Which one fits you

Pick Charlotte if you want

  • Lower home prices
  • A smaller monthly payment
  • Lower rent
  • Lower everyday prices
  • Lower housing and rent costs
  • Cooler summers
Cost of living in Charlotte

Pick Raleigh if you want

  • More space for the money
  • A shorter commute
Cost of living in Raleigh

More comparisons

Charlotte vs Raleigh: questions people ask

Is Charlotte or Raleigh cheaper?

Charlotte has the lower median listed home ($424,950 against $445,000, Realtor.com via FRED). On a mortgage for each median home that is about $110 a month less in principal and interest. Everyday prices: 97.3 in Charlotte, 98.2 in Raleigh (BEA, 2024, US = 100).

What changes if I move from Charlotte to Raleigh?

The monthly payment on the median listed home goes from $2,335 to $2,445, and a salary of $100,000 in Charlotte buys what about $100,831 buys in Raleigh (Realtor.com via FRED; BEA regional price parities, 2024). Moving the other way, from Raleigh to Charlotte, reverses both numbers.

Is it better to live in Charlotte or Raleigh?

Charlotte comes out ahead on lower home prices, a smaller monthly payment, lower rent. Raleigh comes out ahead on more space for the money, a shorter commute. The right one depends on which of those matters most to your household.

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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.
  2. 2Monthly mortgage: 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). Census table
  4. 4Everyday prices, housing costs and the matching salary: BEA regional price parities, 2024, compared with the US average. Everyday price bars run from 75 to 135 and housing bars from 40 to 160, where the US average is 100.
  5. 5Weather: NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals.
  6. 6Flights: airport route pages, October 2026.
  7. 7Net move-ins: US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025.
  8. 8Commute: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table S0801, mean travel time to work (one way, workers who do not work from home), 2025. Census table
  9. 9Incentives: official program pages, October 2026.
Sources for this page