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Durham vs Raleigh

Raleigh costs less to buy into: about $83 a month less on the typical home.

By Sol Lakein. Updated November 2026.

Durham$460,135 · $2,529/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
    Durham
    $460,135
    Raleigh
    Lower$445,000
  • Monthly mortgage on it2
    Durham
    $2,529
    Raleigh
    Lower$2,445
  • 2-bedroom rent3
    Durham
    Lower$1,630
    Raleigh
    $1,673
  • Price per square foot1
    Durham
    $242
    Raleigh
    Lower$213
  • Everyday prices4
    Durham
    Lower2% below avg
    Raleigh
    2% below avg
  • Housing costs4
    Durham
    Lower1% below avg
    Raleigh
    3% above avg
  • Salary that matches $150,000 in New York4
    Durham
    $130,023
    Raleigh
    $130,803

Weather

  • January low5
    Durham
    31.8°F
    Raleigh
    31.8°F
  • July high5
    Durham
    90.8°F
    Raleigh
    90.8°F
  • Snow per year5
    Durham
    5.2 in
    Raleigh
    5.2 in

Trips home and more

  • Nonstop to New York6
    Durham
    Yes, RDU
    Raleigh
    Yes, RDU
  • Net move-ins from other US metros, 2024-257
    Durham
    No data
    Raleigh
    +19,974
  • Average commute, one way8
    Durham
    Shorter23 min
    Raleigh
    26 min
  • Pays you to move9
    Durham
    No program
    Raleigh
    No program
See it as one table, with sources
MeasureDurhamRaleighSource
Typical home for sale$460,135$445,000Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026
Monthly mortgage on it$2,529$2,445Principal and interest, 20% down, 7.32%
2-bedroom rent$1,630$1,673Census ACS 2025, incl. utilities
Price per square foot$242$213Realtor.com via FRED
Everyday prices2% below avg2% below avgBEA regional price parities, 2024
Housing costs1% below avg3% above avgBEA, 2024
Salary that matches $150,000 in New York$130,023$130,803BEA price parities, 2024
January low31.8°F31.8°FNOAA 1991-2020 normals
July high90.8°F90.8°FNOAA 1991-2020 normals
Snow per year5.2 in5.2 inNOAA 1991-2020 normals
Nonstop to New YorkYes, RDUYes, RDUAirport route pages, October 2026
Net move-ins from other US metros, 2024-25No data+19,974US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025
Average commute, one way23 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 Durham if you want

  • Lower rent
  • Lower everyday prices
  • Lower housing and rent costs
  • A shorter commute
Cost of living in Durham

Pick Raleigh if you want

  • Lower home prices
  • A smaller monthly payment
  • More space for the money
Cost of living in Raleigh

More comparisons

Durham vs Raleigh: questions people ask

Is Durham or Raleigh cheaper?

Raleigh has the lower median listed home ($445,000 against $460,135, Realtor.com via FRED). On a mortgage for each median home that is about $83 a month less in principal and interest. Everyday prices: 97.6 in Durham, 98.2 in Raleigh (BEA, 2024, US = 100).

What changes if I move from Durham to Raleigh?

The monthly payment on the median listed home goes from $2,529 to $2,445, and a salary of $100,000 in Durham buys what about $100,600 buys in Raleigh (Realtor.com via FRED; BEA regional price parities, 2024). Moving the other way, from Raleigh to Durham, reverses both numbers.

Is it better to live in Durham or Raleigh?

Durham comes out ahead on lower rent, lower everyday prices, lower housing and rent costs. Raleigh comes out ahead on lower home prices, a smaller monthly payment, more space for the money. 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