CostIndexUSA

Brownsville, TX vs Charlotte, NC Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableTX
Brownsville
86
overall index
$1,425/mo rent
NC
Charlotte
97.3
overall index
$1,700/mo rent

Brownsville is moderately cheaper than Charlotte — 13.1% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Brownsville, you would need $90,500 in Charlotte. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+69.2%
Brownsville
57.7
Charlotte
97.6
🛒 Groceries+3.0%
Brownsville
93.8
Charlotte
96.6
🚗 Transportation+2.0%
Brownsville
101.1
Charlotte
103.1
🏥 Healthcare+2.1%
Brownsville
91.4
Charlotte
93.3
Utilities+9.9%
Brownsville
81.2
Charlotte
89.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Brownsville to see what you'd need to earn in Charlotte to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Charlotte, NC
$90,500
$10,500 more needed in Charlotte

Formula: salary × (97.3 ÷ 86) = salary × 1.1314. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Brownsville, TX

Median Home Price
$200,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,425
Housing Index
57.7
Price-to-Rent Ratio
11.7×

Charlotte, NC

Median Home Price
$380,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,700
Housing Index
97.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.6×

Charlotte has 69.2% higher housing costs compared to Brownsville.

Income & Job Market

Brownsville, TX

Median Household Income
$52,200
Per Capita Income
$29,800
Unemployment Rate
5.6%
Population
183,392
Top Industries
International TradeHealthcareGovernmentManufacturingEducation

Charlotte, NC

Median Household Income
$81,300
Per Capita Income
$46,300
Unemployment Rate
3.6%
Population
879,709
Top Industries
FinanceHealthcareManufacturingTechnologyEnergy

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Brownsville, TX
3.1×income-to-rent ratio

67% of income left after rent (median)

Charlotte, NC
4.0×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.