CostIndexUSA

Chesapeake, VA vs Raleigh, NC Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostVA
Chesapeake
97.9
overall index
$1,800/mo rent
NC
Raleigh
98.2
overall index
$1,650/mo rent

Chesapeake and Raleigh have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+3.7%
Chesapeake
99.8
Raleigh
103.5
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Chesapeake
96.8
Raleigh
96.6
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Chesapeake
103.5
Raleigh
103.1
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Chesapeake
93.7
Raleigh
93.3
Utilities0.7%
Chesapeake
89.6
Raleigh
89

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Raleigh, NC
$80,200
$200 more needed in Raleigh

Formula: salary × (98.2 ÷ 97.9) = salary × 1.0031. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Chesapeake, VA

Median Home Price
$360,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,800
Housing Index
99.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
16.7×

Raleigh, NC

Median Home Price
$428,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,650
Housing Index
103.5
Price-to-Rent Ratio
21.6×

Raleigh has 3.7% higher housing costs compared to Chesapeake.

Income & Job Market

Chesapeake, VA

Median Household Income
$79,300
Per Capita Income
$45,200
Unemployment Rate
4.3%
Population
249,422
Top Industries
MilitaryHealthcareRetailManufacturingGovernment

Raleigh, NC

Median Household Income
$96,100
Per Capita Income
$54,800
Unemployment Rate
3.5%
Population
467,665
Top Industries
TechnologyEducationHealthcareFinanceGovernment

Affordability at a Glance

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

Chesapeake, VA
3.7×income-to-rent ratio

73% of income left after rent (median)

Raleigh, NC
4.9×income-to-rent ratio

79% 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.