Winston-Salem, NC vs Richmond, VA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Richmond, VA has a modeled overall cost index 12.4% higher than Winston-Salem, NC.

Winston-Salem, NC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,315 / month
Richmond, VA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,710 / 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 Winston-Salem, NC and Richmond, VA 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 Winston-Salem, NC

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $824/month in Richmond, VA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $159,888 in Richmond, VA

Regional cost estimates: Richmond, VA uses Richmond, VA Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 12.4%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$824

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$9.9K

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.

Winston-Salem, NC

Population:250K

Cost Index:

89.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$254K

Richmond, VA

Population:230K

Cost Index:

100.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$350K

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Winston-Salem, NC

The Tar Heel State

250K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in North Carolina, this city has a population of 250K residents.

Richmond, VA

The Old Dominion State

230K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Virginia, this city has a population of 230K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Winston-Salem, NC vs Richmond, VA

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	Winston-Salem, NC	Richmond, VA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,288/mo	$2,734/mo	↑ $446more	19.5%
Other	$1,689/mo	$1,887/mo	↑ $198more	11.7%
Transportation	$1,291/mo	$1,379/mo	↑ $87.99more	6.8%
All Utilities	$557/mo	$616/mo	↑ $58.66more	10.5%
Healthcare	$645/mo	$678/mo	↑ $33.26more	5.2%
Groceries	$1,030/mo	$1,030/mo	→ $0	0.0%

Housing

↑ 19.5%

Winston-Salem, NC

$2,288

Richmond, VA

$2,734

Difference

$446

Other

↑ 11.7%

Winston-Salem, NC

$1,689

Richmond, VA

$1,887

Difference

$198

Transportation

↑ 6.8%

Winston-Salem, NC

$1,291

Richmond, VA

$1,379

Difference

$87.99

All Utilities

↑ 10.5%

Winston-Salem, NC

$557

Richmond, VA

$616

Difference

$58.66

Healthcare

↑ 5.2%

Winston-Salem, NC

$645

Richmond, VA

$678

Difference

$33.26

Groceries

→ 0.0%

Winston-Salem, NC

$1,030

Richmond, VA

$1,030

Difference

same

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,065

To$1,490

↑ $425

1 Bed

From$1,155

To$1,560

↑ $405

2 Bed

From$1,315

To$1,710

↑ $395

3 Bed

From$1,715

To$2,140

↑ $425

Winston-Salem, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $960–$1,260/mo

Richmond, VAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,400–$1,920/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 Winston-Salem, NC

$8,324

Monthly in Richmond, VA

$824

Difference

Home Values

Winston-Salem

Richmond

$254K

Median Value

$350K

↑ +0.4%

YoY Change

↑ +1.1%

↑ +37.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +39.2%

$168K - $363K

Price Range

$234K - $619K

Homes in Richmond are 38% more expensive than Winston-Salem

Calculate payment - Winston-Salem Calculate payment - Richmond

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $1.2K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$104

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.8%

Rate difference

Winston-Salem, 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

Richmond, VA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Virginia State Tax

Effective: 5.6%

$8.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.3%

$45.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,718/month

$104.6K

Additional Tax Information

Winston-Salem, NC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.1%

Property Tax:0.8%

Richmond, VA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.7%

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

Winston-Salem

Richmond

47 Good

Air Quality

36 Good

57.4%

Good Air Days

79.2%

92 Moderate

Climate Risk

78 Low

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

None

▲+2.8°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.8°F

30 days

Heat Days >95°F

30 days

▲+2.8°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.8°F

30 days

Heat Days >95°F

30 days

Before moving from Winston-Salem, NC to Richmond, VA

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Richmond, VA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Winston-Salem, 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 Winston-Salem to Richmond moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Winston-Salem, NC vs Richmond, VA

How do the cost estimates for Winston-Salem, NC and Richmond, VA compare?

Richmond, VA has a modeled overall cost index 12.4% higher than Winston-Salem, 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 Winston-Salem, NC, the model estimates $159,888 in Richmond, VA. 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 Winston-Salem, NC and Richmond, VA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,315/month in Winston-Salem, NC and $1,710/month in Richmond, VA. 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 Virginia on TaxTakeHome.com