Durham, NC Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Durham, NC Summary
Cost of living in Durham research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Durham is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in North Carolina, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Durham is 107, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Durham is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Durham ranks as the #105 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.
Durham ranks as the #3,374 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Durham is $399,062.
The median income in Durham is $79,234.
Table Of Contents
Durham's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Durham, NC?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Durham has an overall cost of living index of 107, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to North Carolina, Durham has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than North Carolina's index of 92.
The standard of living in Durham ranks as #105 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Durham ranks as the #52 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.
For more reading on life in Durham, check out:
In North Carolina
In America
Durham Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Durham. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Durham is 98.
The Groceries index in Durham is 103.
The Health index in Durham is 107.
The Housing index in Durham is 129.
The Transportation index in Durham is 89.
The Utilities index in Durham is 91.
| Living Expense | Durham | North Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 107 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 98 | 100 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 103 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 107 | 106 | 100 | |
| Housing | 129 | 86 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 89 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 91 | 95 | 100 | |
Durham, NC Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in North Carolina, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Durham is $399,062.
The Median Rent in Durham is $1,412.
The Median Income in Durham is $79,234.
The Home Value To Income in Durham is 5.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Durham is 0.21x.
| Statistic | Durham | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $399,062 | $332,681 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,412 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $79,234 | $69,904 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.0x | 4.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.21x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Durham, NC Costs By Category
Detailed Durham Services Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Durham | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.27 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $12.67 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $20.2 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.1 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $53.19 | $45.56 |
Detailed Durham Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Durham | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.13 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.5 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.61 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.05 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.79 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.35 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.81 | $3.7 |
Detailed Durham Health Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Durham | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $113.17 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $146.11 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $149.5 | $113.29 |
Detailed Durham Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Durham | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.36 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $50.0 | $59.92 |
Detailed Durham Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Durham | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $191.72 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.28 | $192.25 |
Durham SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Durham
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Durham. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Raleigh, NC has a cost of living index of 112, 1.0x Durham.
Cary, NC has a cost of living index of 125, 1.2x Durham.
Apex, NC has a cost of living index of 122, 1.1x Durham.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh, NC | 470,763 | 112 | 1.0x |
| Cary, NC | 176,686 | 125 | 1.2x |
| Apex, NC | 67,765 | 122 | 1.1x |
| Chapel Hill, NC | 59,889 | 129 | 1.2x |
| Morrisville, NC | 30,471 | 120 | 1.1x |
| Carrboro, NC | 21,170 | 121 | 1.1x |
| Hillsborough, NC | 9,656 | 111 | 1.0x |
| Butner, NC | 7,996 | 93 | 0.9x |
