Is it cheaper to live in Omaha or Raleigh?

Omaha, NE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,120 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Raleigh, NC's $1,490, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Omaha versus $53,000 in Raleigh.

Which has lower taxes, Omaha or Raleigh?

Omaha is taxed under Nebraska's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax); Raleigh under North Carolina's (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax).

Omaha vs Raleigh Cost of Living 2026

Omaha

Nebraska

$1,120/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 $1,120 in Omaha, NE versus $1,490 in Raleigh, NC. Overall, Omaha, NE is roughly 25% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Raleigh, NC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $72,708 in Omaha, NE and $82,424 in Raleigh, NC — about 12% higher in Raleigh, NC. Nebraska has a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax; North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax.

Omaha, NE

Raleigh, NC

Rent

Studio

$908

$1,301

+43% in Raleigh, NC

1 Bedroom

$984

$1,323

+34% in Raleigh, NC

2 Bedroom

$1,193

$1,462

+23% in Raleigh, NC

3 Bedroom

$1,437

$1,715

+19% in Raleigh, NC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$230,100

$377,800

+64% in Raleigh, NC

Income

Median Household Income

$72,708

$82,424

+13% in Raleigh, NC

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,660

$51,990

+5% in Raleigh, NC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.3 yr

34.7 yr

+0.6 yr in Omaha, NE

Homeownership

57.7%

51.2%

+6.5 pp in Omaha, NE

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.3%

52.9%

+12.6 pp in Raleigh, NC

Avg Commute

19.6 min

23.4 min

+3.8 min in Raleigh, NC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

358.6

491.5

+37% in Raleigh, NC

Property Crime

3,153

2,838

+10% in Omaha, NE

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

51.1°F

60.6°F

+9.5°F in Raleigh, NC

Annual Precipitation

30.6 in

46.0 in

+15.4 in in Raleigh, NC

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.35/gal

$4.30/gal

+1% in Omaha, NE

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

about equal

Adult base one-way fare — Metro Transit (Omaha) vs GoRaleigh (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.1

16.0

+22% in Raleigh, NC

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$12.06

$17.50

+45% in Raleigh, NC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.14

$4.16

+1% in Raleigh, NC

Bread (lb)

$1.79

$1.73

+3% in Omaha, NE

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Omaha, NE

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.97

$6.56

+6% in Omaha, NE

Chicken (lb)

$2.15

$1.90

+12% in Omaha, NE

Bananas (lb)

$0.63

$0.61

+3% in Omaha, NE

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NE / NC)

5.5%

4.75%

+0.8 pp in NE

Income Tax (top rate)

4.55%

3.99%

+0.6 pp in NE

Omaha vs Raleigh — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Omaha or Raleigh?: Omaha, NE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,120 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Raleigh, NC's $1,490, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Omaha than in Raleigh?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Omaha versus $53,000 in Raleigh.
Which has lower taxes, Omaha or Raleigh?: Omaha is taxed under Nebraska's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% 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).