Charlotte, NC vs Durham, NC: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Charlotte, NC and Durham, NC have about the same overall cost index in our saved model.

Charlotte, NC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,870 / month
Durham, NC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,730 / 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 Charlotte, NC and Durham, 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 Charlotte, NC

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $41.99/month in Durham, NC

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $150,504 in Durham, NC

Regional cost estimates: Charlotte, NC uses Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC Metropolitan Area. Durham, NC uses Raleigh-Cary, NC Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

→ 0.0%

Same cost

Monthly Impact

$41.99

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$504

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.

Charlotte, NC

Population:875K

Cost Index:

97.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$399K

Durham, NC

Population:325K

Cost Index:

97.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$411K

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Charlotte, NC

The Tar Heel State

875K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Climate

Humid subtropical

Notable Facts

•Major banking center
•NASCAR headquarters
•Queen City

Major Industries

FinanceTechnologyEnergyMotorsports

Durham, NC

The Tar Heel State

325K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in North Carolina, this city has a population of 325K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Charlotte, NC vs Durham, 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	Charlotte, NC	Durham, NC	Difference	Change
Transportation	$1,198/mo	$1,280/mo	↑ $81.69more	6.8%
Healthcare	$636/mo	$599/mo	↓ $37.05less	5.8%
Groceries	$986/mo	$956/mo	↓ $29.88less	3.0%
All Utilities	$517/mo	$545/mo	↑ $27.23more	5.3%
Housing	$2,461/mo	$2,461/mo	→ $0	0.0%
Other	$1,702/mo	$1,702/mo	→ $0	0.0%

Transportation

↑ 6.8%

Charlotte, NC

$1,198

Durham, NC

$1,280

Difference

$81.69

Healthcare

↓ 5.8%

Charlotte, NC

$636

Durham, NC

$599

Difference

$37.05

less

Groceries

↓ 3.0%

Charlotte, NC

$986

Durham, NC

$956

Difference

$29.88

less

All Utilities

↑ 5.3%

Charlotte, NC

$517

Durham, NC

$545

Difference

$27.23

Housing

→ 0.0%

Charlotte, NC

$2,461

Durham, NC

$2,461

Difference

same

Other

→ 0.0%

Charlotte, NC

$1,702

Durham, NC

$1,702

Difference

same

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,630

To$1,430

↓ $200

1 Bed

From$1,710

To$1,520

↓ $190

2 Bed

From$1,870

To$1,730

↓ $140

3 Bed

From$2,300

To$2,140

↓ $160

Charlotte, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,340–$2,310/mo

Durham, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,480–$1,750/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 Charlotte, NC

$7,542

Monthly in Durham, NC

$41.99

Difference

Home Values

Charlotte

Durham

$399K

Median Value

$411K

↓ -1.1%

YoY Change

↓ -0.5%

↑ +40.8%

5-Year Change

↑ +38%

$293K - $1.57M

Price Range

$306K - $461K

Homes in Durham are 3% more expensive than Charlotte

Calculate payment - Charlotte Calculate payment - Durham

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

→ $0

Same taxes

Monthly Difference

Same take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.0%

Rate difference

Charlotte, 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

Durham, 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

Charlotte, NC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.1%

Property Tax:0.8%

Durham, 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.

Environment

Charlotte

Durham

51 Moderate

Air Quality

51 Moderate

46.2%

Good Air Days

46.4%

97 High

Climate Risk

90 Moderate

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌪💨

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

Before moving from Charlotte, NC to Durham, NC

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Durham, NC for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Charlotte, NC. 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 Charlotte to Durham moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Charlotte, NC vs Durham, NC

How do the cost estimates for Charlotte, NC and Durham, NC compare?

Charlotte, NC and Durham, NC have about the same overall cost index in our saved model. 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 Charlotte, NC, the model estimates $150,504 in Durham, 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 Charlotte, NC and Durham, NC?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,870/month in Charlotte, NC and $1,730/month in Durham, 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.