Moving from Charlotte to Raleigh
Your paycheck buys about the same in Raleigh as in Charlotte. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Raleigh: $85,900
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $85,900 in Raleigh, NC to match $85,000 in Charlotte, NC ($900 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Both are in North Carolina, so state income tax is the same; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Charlotte vs Raleigh: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,594 → $1,674/mo
- Median home value
- $400,400 → $465,800
- Median household income
- $85,938 → $102,144
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 97.3 → 98.2
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (89.2 → 91.9 of 100)
Charlotte vs Raleigh cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Charlotte, NC | Raleigh, NC |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 97.3 | 98.2 |
| Median rent | $1,594 | $1,674 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $63,760 | $66,960 |
| Median home value | $400,400 | $465,800 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,446 | $2,836 |
| Income needed to buy | $104,819 | $121,554 |
| Median property tax | $2,552 | $3,082 |
| State income tax on $85,000 | $2,883 | $2,883 |
| Metro population | 2,883,370 | 1,562,009 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Charlotte vs Raleigh
On an $85,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $50,661 a year in Charlotte and $51,621 in Raleigh if you rent: $960 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $60,882 and $65,568 ($4,686 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | CharlotteBefore | RaleighAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $85,000, single filer | $19,255 | $19,255 | $0 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,722 | $1,722 | $0 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $925 | $925 | $0 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $1,975 | $1,975 | $0 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $7,656 | $7,656 | $0 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $19,128 | $20,088 | +$960 |
| Total if you rent | $50,661 | $51,621 | +$960 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $25,444 | $29,600 | +$4,156 |
| Property tax median home | $2,552 | $3,082 | +$530 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,353 | $1,353 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $60,882 | $65,568 | +$4,686 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $12,370 a year in Charlotte and $12,370 in Raleigh (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Charlotte to Raleigh
About 1,789 households (2,656 people) moved from the Charlotte metro area to the Raleigh metro area in 2022–2023, making Raleigh the #1 destination for people leaving Charlotte among the 149 metro areas we cover. 1,853 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $72,037.
Cost to move from Charlotte to Raleigh
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 150 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Charlotte vs Raleigh
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Charlotte area among the highest (score 89.2) and the Raleigh area among the highest (score 91.9), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $326 vs $267 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Raleigh cheaper than Charlotte?
Overall prices in the Raleigh area are 0.9% higher than in Charlotte (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,674 vs $1,594 a month, and the median home is $465,800 vs $400,400.
What salary do I need in Raleigh to match $100,000 in Charlotte?
About $101,100, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Both are in North Carolina, so state income tax is the same.
How much does it cost to move from Charlotte to Raleigh?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 150 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Charlotte to Raleigh?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,789 households (2,656 people) moved from the Charlotte metro area to the Raleigh metro area, and 1,853 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Charlotte move
- Charlotte to Winston-Salem 1,710 households
- Charlotte to Columbia 1,411 households
- Charlotte to New York 1,320 households
- Charlotte to Greensboro 1,066 households
- Charlotte to Wilmington 1,065 households
- Charlotte to Atlanta 1,034 households
- Charleston 865 households
- Greenville 813 households