Mountain Lakes, NJ vs Raleigh, NC: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Raleigh, NC has a modeled overall cost index 1.1% lower than Mountain Lakes, NJ.

Mountain Lakes, NJ · modeled 2BR rent: $2,490 / 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 Mountain Lakes, NJ 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 Mountain Lakes, NJ

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $157/month in Raleigh, NC

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $151,886 in Raleigh, NC

Regional cost estimates: Mountain Lakes, NJ uses Newark, NJ. Raleigh, NC uses Raleigh-Cary, NC Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 1.1%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$157

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$1.9K

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.

Mountain Lakes, NJ

Population:5K

Cost Index:

98.1

100 = national average

Typical Home:$1.16M

Raleigh, NC

Population:474K

Cost Index:

97.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$512K

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Mountain Lakes, NJ

The Garden State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in New Jersey, this city has a population of 5K residents.

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: Mountain Lakes, NJ 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	Mountain Lakes, NJ	Raleigh, NC	Difference	Change
Housing	$1,871/mo	$2,498/mo	↑ $628more	33.5%
Transportation	$1,469/mo	$1,299/mo	↓ $170less	11.6%
Other	$1,862/mo	$1,728/mo	↓ $134less	7.2%
Groceries	$1,060/mo	$971/mo	↓ $89.45less	8.4%
Healthcare	$663/mo	$608/mo	↓ $55.17less	8.3%
All Utilities	$574/mo	$553/mo	↓ $21.53less	3.7%

Housing

↑ 33.5%

Mountain Lakes, NJ

$1,871

Raleigh, NC

$2,498

Difference

$628

Transportation

↓ 11.6%

Mountain Lakes, NJ

$1,469

Raleigh, NC

$1,299

Difference

$170

less

Other

↓ 7.2%

Mountain Lakes, NJ

$1,862

Raleigh, NC

$1,728

Difference

$134

less

Groceries

↓ 8.4%

Mountain Lakes, NJ

$1,060

Raleigh, NC

$971

Difference

$89.45

less

Healthcare

↓ 8.3%

Mountain Lakes, NJ

$663

Raleigh, NC

$608

Difference

$55.17

less

All Utilities

↓ 3.7%

Mountain Lakes, NJ

$574

Raleigh, NC

$553

Difference

$21.53

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,820

To$1,570

↓ $250

1 Bed

From$2,060

To$1,640

↓ $420

2 Bed

From$2,490

To$1,800

↓ $690

3 Bed

From$3,110

To$2,255

↓ $855

Mountain Lakes, NJZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,060–$2,060/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 Mountain Lakes, NJ

$7,657

Monthly in Raleigh, NC

$157

Difference

Home Values

Mountain Lakes

Raleigh

$1.16M

Median Value

$512K

↑ +6.3%

YoY Change

↓ -0.5%

↑ +41.6%

5-Year Change

↑ +38.2%

$1.16M

Price Range

$314K - $992K

Homes in Raleigh are 56% less expensive than Mountain Lakes

Calculate payment - Mountain Lakes Calculate payment - Raleigh

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $306

Per year

Monthly Difference

$25.46

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.2%

Rate difference

Mountain Lakes, NJ

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

New Jersey State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,796/month

$105.6K

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

Mountain Lakes, NJ Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.6%

Property Tax:2.5%

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

Mountain Lakes, NJ: No data yet

Raleigh, NC

35/100

0.2% sidewalk tags · 2.7% cycling tags

Environment

Mountain Lakes

Raleigh

N/A

Air Quality

46 Good

Good Air Days

61.7%

98 High

Climate Risk

96 High

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.8°F

15 days

Heat Days >95°F

31 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.8°F

15 days

Heat Days >95°F

31 days

Before moving from Mountain Lakes, NJ 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 Mountain Lakes, NJ. 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 Mountain Lakes 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: Mountain Lakes, NJ vs Raleigh, NC

How do the cost estimates for Mountain Lakes, NJ and Raleigh, NC compare?

Raleigh, NC has a modeled overall cost index 1.1% lower than Mountain Lakes, NJ. 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 Mountain Lakes, NJ, the model estimates $151,886 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 Mountain Lakes, NJ and Raleigh, NC?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,490/month in Mountain Lakes, NJ 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 New Jersey and North Carolina on TaxTakeHome.com