Jacksonville, FL vs Durham, NC: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Durham, NC has a modeled overall cost index 3.2% higher than Jacksonville, FL.

Jacksonville, FL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,530 / 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 Jacksonville, FL 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 Jacksonville, FL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $296/month in Durham, NC

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $153,552 in Durham, NC

Regional cost estimates: Jacksonville, FL uses Jacksonville, FL Metropolitan Area. Durham, NC uses Raleigh-Cary, NC Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 3.2%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$296

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$3.6K

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.

Jacksonville, FL

Population:950K

Cost Index:

94.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$289K

Durham, NC

Population:325K

Cost Index:

97.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$411K

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Jacksonville, FL

The Sunshine State

950K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Florida, this city has a population of 950K residents.

💡 Advantage: Florida has no state income tax!

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: Jacksonville, FL 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	Jacksonville, FL	Durham, NC	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,276/mo	$2,543/mo	↑ $268more	11.8%
Other	$1,673/mo	$1,759/mo	↑ $86.23more	5.2%
Groceries	$1,050/mo	$988/mo	↓ $61.77less	5.9%
Healthcare	$587/mo	$619/mo	↑ $31.92more	5.4%
All Utilities	$591/mo	$563/mo	↓ $28.15less	4.8%
Transportation	$1,323/mo	$1,323/mo	→ $0	0.0%

Housing

↑ 11.8%

Jacksonville, FL

$2,276

Durham, NC

$2,543

Difference

$268

Other

↑ 5.2%

Jacksonville, FL

$1,673

Durham, NC

$1,759

Difference

$86.23

Groceries

↓ 5.9%

Jacksonville, FL

$1,050

Durham, NC

$988

Difference

$61.77

less

Healthcare

↑ 5.4%

Jacksonville, FL

$587

Durham, NC

$619

Difference

$31.92

All Utilities

↓ 4.8%

Jacksonville, FL

$591

Durham, NC

$563

Difference

$28.15

less

Transportation

→ 0.0%

Jacksonville, FL

$1,323

Durham, NC

$1,323

Difference

same

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,250

To$1,430

↑ $180

1 Bed

From$1,270

To$1,520

↑ $250

2 Bed

From$1,530

To$1,730

↑ $200

3 Bed

From$1,890

To$2,140

↑ $250

Jacksonville, FLZIP-level data

1BR range: $960–$2,070/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 Jacksonville, FL

$7,796

Monthly in Durham, NC

$296

Difference

Home Values

Jacksonville

Durham

$289K

Median Value

$411K

↓ -3.7%

YoY Change

↓ -0.5%

↑ +31.6%

5-Year Change

↑ +38%

$102K - $535K

Price Range

$306K - $461K

Homes in Durham are 42% more expensive than Jacksonville

Calculate payment - Jacksonville Calculate payment - Durham

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

Jacksonville, 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

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

Jacksonville, FL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%

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.

🚶 Walkability

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

Jacksonville, FL

28/100

2.3% sidewalk tags · 2.7% cycling tags

Durham, NC: No data yet

Environment

Jacksonville

Durham

50 Good

Air Quality

51 Moderate

51.9%

Good Air Days

46.4%

97 High

Climate Risk

90 Moderate

🌊🌅🌀

Top Hazards

🌪💨

▲+2.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

▲+2.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

36 days

Heat Days >95°F

36 days

Before moving from Jacksonville, FL 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 Jacksonville, FL. 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 Jacksonville 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: Jacksonville, FL vs Durham, NC

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

Durham, NC has a modeled overall cost index 3.2% higher than Jacksonville, FL. 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 Jacksonville, FL, the model estimates $153,552 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 Jacksonville, FL and Durham, NC?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,530/month in Jacksonville, FL 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.

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