Durham, NC vs Hialeah, FL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Hialeah, FL has a modeled overall cost index 26.8% higher than Durham, NC.

Durham, NC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,730 / month
Hialeah, FL · modeled 2BR rent: $2,530 / 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 Durham, NC and Hialeah, FL 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 Durham, NC

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $1,848/month in Hialeah, FL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $172,172 in Hialeah, FL

Regional cost estimates: Durham, NC uses Raleigh-Cary, NC Metropolitan Area. Hialeah, FL uses Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 26.8%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$1,848

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$22.2K

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.

Durham, NC

Population:325K

Cost Index:

97.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$411K

Hialeah, FL

Population:223K

Cost Index:

123.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$415K

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Durham, NC

The Tar Heel State

325K

Population

State Tax

Yes

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

Hialeah, FL

The Sunshine State

223K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Florida, this city has a population of 223K residents.

💡 Advantage: Florida has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Durham, NC vs Hialeah, FL

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	Durham, NC	Hialeah, FL	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,447/mo	$3,658/mo	↑ $1,211more	49.5%
Other	$1,692/mo	$2,074/mo	↑ $382more	22.5%
Transportation	$1,273/mo	$1,449/mo	↑ $176more	13.8%
Groceries	$951/mo	$1,070/mo	↑ $119more	12.5%
All Utilities	$542/mo	$515/mo	↓ $27.08less	5.0%
Healthcare	$596/mo	$583/mo	↓ $12.28less	2.1%

Housing

↑ 49.5%

Durham, NC

$2,447

Hialeah, FL

$3,658

Difference

$1,211

Other

↑ 22.5%

Durham, NC

$1,692

Hialeah, FL

$2,074

Difference

$382

Transportation

↑ 13.8%

Durham, NC

$1,273

Hialeah, FL

$1,449

Difference

$176

Groceries

↑ 12.5%

Durham, NC

$951

Hialeah, FL

$1,070

Difference

$119

All Utilities

↓ 5.0%

Durham, NC

$542

Hialeah, FL

$515

Difference

$27.08

less

Healthcare

↓ 2.1%

Durham, NC

$596

Hialeah, FL

$583

Difference

$12.28

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,430

To$1,900

↑ $470

1 Bed

From$1,520

To$2,075

↑ $555

2 Bed

From$1,730

To$2,530

↑ $800

3 Bed

From$2,140

To$3,245

↑ $1,105

Durham, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,480–$1,750/mo

Hialeah, FLZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,720–$2,330/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 Durham, NC

$9,348

Monthly in Hialeah, FL

$1,848

Difference

Home Values

Durham

Hialeah

$411K

Median Value

$415K

↓ -0.5%

YoY Change

↓ -3.5%

↑ +38%

5-Year Change

↑ +46.2%

$306K - $461K

Price Range

$296K - $551K

Homes in Hialeah are 1% more expensive than Durham

Calculate payment - Durham Calculate payment - Hialeah

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $7.1K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$594

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

4.7%

Rate difference

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

Hialeah, FL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Florida 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

Additional Tax Information

Durham, NC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.1%

Property Tax:0.8%

Hialeah, FL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%

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

Durham

Hialeah

51 Moderate

Air Quality

48 Good

46.4%

Good Air Days

59.8%

90 Moderate

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌅🌀

▲+2.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

22 days

▲+2.7°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

22 days

Before moving from Durham, NC to Hialeah, FL

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Durham, NC vs Hialeah, FL

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

Hialeah, FL has a modeled overall cost index 26.8% higher than Durham, NC. 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 Durham, NC, the model estimates $172,172 in Hialeah, FL. 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 Durham, NC and Hialeah, FL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,730/month in Durham, NC and $2,530/month in Hialeah, FL. 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 North Carolina and Florida on TaxTakeHome.com