Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Raleigh?

Raleigh, NC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,490 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Austin, TX's $1,650, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Raleigh?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $53,000 in Raleigh.

Which has lower taxes, Austin or Raleigh?

Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Raleigh under North Carolina's (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax).

Austin vs Raleigh Cost of Living 2026

Austin

Texas

$1,650/mo est.

Raleigh

North Carolina

$1,490/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,650 in Austin, TX versus $1,490 in Raleigh, NC. Overall, Raleigh, NC is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $82,424 in Raleigh, NC — about 10% higher in Austin, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax.

Austin, TX

Raleigh, NC

Rent

Studio

$1,348

$1,301

+3% in Austin, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,457

$1,323

+9% in Austin, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,776

$1,462

+18% in Austin, TX

3 Bedroom

$2,127

$1,715

+19% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$512,700

$377,800

+26% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income

$91,461

$82,424

+10% in Austin, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,950

$51,990

+9% in Austin, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.5 yr

34.7 yr

+0.2 yr in Raleigh, NC

Homeownership

44.4%

51.2%

+6.8 pp in Raleigh, NC

Bachelor's+ (25+)

58.2%

52.9%

+5.3 pp in Austin, TX

Avg Commute

24.0 min

23.4 min

+0.6 min in Austin, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

475.9

491.5

+3% in Raleigh, NC

Property Crime

3,290.2

2,838

+14% in Austin, TX

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

67.2°F

60.6°F

+6.6°F in Austin, TX

Annual Precipitation

34.9 in

46.0 in

+11.1 in in Raleigh, NC

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.96/gal

$4.30/gal

+9% in Raleigh, NC

Area: Texas vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

about equal

Adult base one-way fare — CapMetro vs GoRaleigh (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.4

16.0

+2% in Austin, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$24.61

$17.50

+29% in Austin, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.16

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.73

about equal

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.56

about equal

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

about equal

Bananas (lb)

$0.61

about equal

Average prices — South vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / NC)

6.25%

4.75%

+1.5 pp in TX

Income Tax (top rate)

None

3.99%

+4.0 pp in NC

Austin vs Raleigh — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Raleigh?: Raleigh, NC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,490 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Austin, TX's $1,650, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Raleigh?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $53,000 in Raleigh.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Raleigh?: Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Raleigh under North Carolina's (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).