Is it cheaper to live in Raleigh or Tacoma?

Tacoma, WA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,500 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Raleigh, NC's $1,510, mainly because of natural gas costs.

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

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

Which has lower taxes, Raleigh or Tacoma?

Raleigh is taxed under North Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax); Tacoma under Washington's (no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax).

Raleigh vs Tacoma Cost of Living 2026

Raleigh

North Carolina

$1,510/mo est.

Tacoma

Washington

$1,500/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,510 in Raleigh, NC versus $1,500 in Tacoma, WA. Overall, Tacoma, WA is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Raleigh, NC, driven mainly by natural gas costs.

Median household income is $82,424 in Raleigh, NC and $83,857 in Tacoma, WA — about 2% higher in Tacoma, WA. North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax; Washington has no state income tax and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Raleigh, NC

Tacoma, WA

Rent

Studio

$1,301

$1,178

+9% in Raleigh, NC

1 Bedroom

$1,323

$1,332

+1% in Tacoma, WA

2 Bedroom

$1,462

$1,693

+16% in Tacoma, WA

3 Bedroom

$1,715

$2,094

+22% in Tacoma, WA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$377,800

$454,600

+20% in Tacoma, WA

Income

Median Household Income

$82,424

$83,857

+2% in Tacoma, WA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,990

$72,610

+40% in Tacoma, WA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.7 yr

37.3 yr

+2.6 yr in Tacoma, WA

Homeownership

51.2%

56.5%

+5.3 pp in Tacoma, WA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

52.9%

33.5%

+19.4 pp in Raleigh, NC

Avg Commute

23.4 min

29.0 min

+5.6 min in Tacoma, WA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

491.5

1,064.4

+117% in Tacoma, WA

Property Crime

2,838.4

5,695.2

+101% in Tacoma, WA

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

60.6°F

52.1°F

+8.5°F in Raleigh, NC

Annual Precipitation

46.0 in

43.0 in

+3.0 in in Raleigh, NC

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.86/gal

$5.12/gal

+33% in Tacoma, WA

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Washington.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.1

14.9

+1% in Raleigh, NC

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$27.56

$20.41

+26% in Raleigh, NC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Tacoma, WA

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Tacoma, WA

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Raleigh, NC

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Tacoma, WA

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Tacoma, WA

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Tacoma, WA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NC / WA)

4.75%

6.5%

+1.8 pp in WA

Income Tax (top rate)

3.99%

None

+4.0 pp in NC

Raleigh vs Tacoma — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Raleigh or Tacoma?: Tacoma, WA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,500 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Raleigh, NC's $1,510, mainly because of natural gas costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Raleigh than in Tacoma?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Raleigh versus $53,000 in Tacoma.
Which has lower taxes, Raleigh or Tacoma?: Raleigh is taxed under North Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax); Tacoma under Washington's (no state income tax and a 6.5% 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).