Burlington, WA vs Raleigh, NC: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Raleigh, NC has a modeled overall cost index 27.7% lower than Burlington, WA.

Burlington, WA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,810 / month
Raleigh, NC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,800 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Burlington, WA and Raleigh, NC using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Burlington, WA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $2,055/month in Raleigh, NC

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $125,336 in Raleigh, NC

Regional cost estimates: Burlington, WA uses Seattle, WA. Raleigh, NC uses Raleigh-Cary, NC Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 27.7%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$2,055

Savings

Annual Impact

$24.7K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Burlington, WA

Population:10K

Cost Index:

134.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$528K

Raleigh, NC

Population:474K

Cost Index:

97.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$512K

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Burlington, WA

The Evergreen State

10K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Washington, this city has a population of 10K residents.

💡 Advantage: Washington has no state income tax!

Raleigh, NC

The Tar Heel State

474K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Climate

Humid subtropical

Notable Facts

•Research Triangle
•State capital
•Major university town

Major Industries

TechnologyResearchEducationGovernment

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Burlington, WA vs Raleigh, NC

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Burlington, WA	Raleigh, NC	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,809/mo	$1,776/mo	↓ $2,033less	53.4%
Transportation	$1,066/mo	$924/mo	↓ $142less	13.4%
Other	$1,109/mo	$1,229/mo	↑ $119more	10.8%
Healthcare	$524/mo	$432/mo	↓ $91.38less	17.4%
All Utilities	$306/mo	$393/mo	↑ $87.50more	28.6%
Groceries	$686/mo	$690/mo	↑ $4.23more	0.6%

Housing

↓ 53.4%

Burlington, WA

$3,809

Raleigh, NC

$1,776

Difference

$2,033

less

Transportation

↓ 13.4%

Burlington, WA

$1,066

Raleigh, NC

$924

Difference

$142

less

Other

↑ 10.8%

Burlington, WA

$1,109

Raleigh, NC

$1,229

Difference

$119

Healthcare

↓ 17.4%

Burlington, WA

$524

Raleigh, NC

$432

Difference

$91.38

less

All Utilities

↑ 28.6%

Burlington, WA

$306

Raleigh, NC

$393

Difference

$87.50

Groceries

↑ 0.6%

Burlington, WA

$686

Raleigh, NC

$690

Difference

$4.23

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,250

To$1,570

↑ $320

1 Bed

From$1,380

To$1,640

↑ $260

2 Bed

From$1,810

To$1,800

↓ $10.00

3 Bed

From$2,520

To$2,255

↓ $265

Burlington, WAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,380–$1,380/mo

Raleigh, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,400–$1,880/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Burlington, WA

$5,445

Monthly in Raleigh, NC

$2,055

Difference

Home Values

Burlington

Raleigh

$528K

Median Value

$512K

↑ +1.7%

YoY Change

↓ -0.5%

↑ +34%

5-Year Change

↑ +38.2%

$528K

Price Range

$314K - $992K

Homes in Raleigh are 3% less expensive than Burlington

Calculate payment - Burlington Calculate payment - Raleigh

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $7.1K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$594

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

4.7%

Rate difference

Burlington, WA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Washington State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Raleigh, NC

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

North Carolina State Tax

Effective: 4.8%

$7.1K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.4%

$44.1K

Take-Home Pay

$8,822/month

$105.9K

Additional Tax Information

Burlington, WA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.2%

Property Tax:0.9%

Raleigh, NC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.1%

Property Tax:0.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Burlington, WA: No data yet

Raleigh, NC

35/100

0.2% sidewalk tags · 2.7% cycling tags

Environment

Burlington

Raleigh

41 Good

Air Quality

46 Good

69.7%

Good Air Days

61.7%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

96 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+2.6°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.8°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

31 days

▲+2.6°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.8°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

31 days

Before moving from Burlington, WA to Raleigh, NC

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Raleigh, NC for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Burlington, WA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Burlington to Raleigh moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Raleigh, NC by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Burlington, WA vs Raleigh, NC

How do the cost estimates for Burlington, WA and Raleigh, NC compare?

Raleigh, NC has a modeled overall cost index 27.7% lower than Burlington, WA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Burlington, WA, the model estimates $125,336 in Raleigh, NC. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Burlington, WA and Raleigh, NC?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,810/month in Burlington, WA and $1,800/month in Raleigh, NC. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Washington and North Carolina on TaxTakeHome.com