Slower Sundays
Find my cities

Raleigh vs Richmond

Richmond costs less to buy into: about $28 a month less on the typical home. Raleigh has the milder winters.

By Sol Lakein. Updated November 2026.

Raleigh$445,000 · $2,445/moRichmond$439,925 · $2,418/mo

Side by side

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

Money

  • Typical home for sale1
    Raleigh
    $445,000
    Richmond
    Lower$439,925
  • Monthly mortgage on it2
    Raleigh
    $2,445
    Richmond
    Lower$2,418
  • 2-bedroom rent3
    Raleigh
    Lower$1,673
    Richmond
    $1,684
  • Price per square foot1
    Raleigh
    Lower$213
    Richmond
    $226
  • Everyday prices4
    Raleigh
    2% below avg
    Richmond
    Lower2% below avg
  • Housing costs4
    Raleigh
    3% above avg
    Richmond
    Lower1% below avg
  • Salary that matches $150,000 in New York4
    Raleigh
    $130,803
    Richmond
    $130,404

Weather

  • January low5
    Raleigh
    Milder31.8°F
    Richmond
    28.8°F
  • July high5
    Raleigh
    90.8°F
    Richmond
    Cooler89.5°F
  • Snow per year5
    Raleigh
    5.2 in
    Richmond
    8.8 in

Trips home and more

  • Nonstop to New York6
    Raleigh
    Yes, RDU
    Richmond
    Yes, RIC
  • Net move-ins from other US metros, 2024-257
    Raleigh
    +19,974
    Richmond
    No data
  • Average commute, one way8
    Raleigh
    26 min
    Richmond
    Shorter26 min
  • Pays you to move9
    Raleigh
    No program
    Richmond
    No program
See it as one table, with sources
MeasureRaleighRichmondSource
Typical home for sale$445,000$439,925Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026
Monthly mortgage on it$2,445$2,418Principal and interest, 20% down, 7.32%
2-bedroom rent$1,673$1,684Census ACS 2025, incl. utilities
Price per square foot$213$226Realtor.com via FRED
Everyday prices2% below avg2% below avgBEA regional price parities, 2024
Housing costs3% above avg1% below avgBEA, 2024
Salary that matches $150,000 in New York$130,803$130,404BEA price parities, 2024
January low31.8°F28.8°FNOAA 1991-2020 normals
July high90.8°F89.5°FNOAA 1991-2020 normals
Snow per year5.2 in8.8 inNOAA 1991-2020 normals
Nonstop to New YorkYes, RDUYes, RICAirport route pages, October 2026
Net move-ins from other US metros, 2024-25+19,974No dataUS Census Bureau, Vintage 2025
Average commute, one way26 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 Raleigh if you want

  • Lower rent
  • More space for the money
  • Milder winters
Cost of living in Raleigh

Pick Richmond if you want

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

More comparisons

Raleigh vs Richmond: questions people ask

Is Raleigh or Richmond cheaper?

Richmond has the lower median listed home ($439,925 against $445,000, Realtor.com via FRED). On a mortgage for each median home that is about $28 a month less in principal and interest. Everyday prices: 98.2 in Raleigh, 97.9 in Richmond (BEA, 2024, US = 100).

Which has milder winters, Raleigh or Richmond?

Raleigh. January lows average 31.8°F in Raleigh and 28.8°F in Richmond (NOAA 1991-2020 normals).

What changes if I move from Raleigh to Richmond?

The monthly payment on the median listed home goes from $2,445 to $2,418, and a salary of $100,000 in Raleigh buys what about $99,695 buys in Richmond (Realtor.com via FRED; BEA regional price parities, 2024). Moving the other way, from Richmond to Raleigh, reverses both numbers.

Is it better to live in Raleigh or Richmond?

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

Find the cities that fit your family

Answer a few quick questions and get your shortlist, ranked on what you care about. Free, no account.

Find my cities
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