CostIndexUSA

El Paso, TX vs Raleigh, NC Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableTX
El Paso
89.9
overall index
$1,500/mo rent
NC
Raleigh
98.2
overall index
$1,650/mo rent

El Paso is moderately cheaper than Raleigh — 9.2% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in El Paso, you would need $87,400 in Raleigh. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+45.4%
El Paso
71.2
Raleigh
103.5
🛒 Groceries+3.0%
El Paso
93.8
Raleigh
96.6
🚗 Transportation+2.0%
El Paso
101.1
Raleigh
103.1
🏥 Healthcare+2.1%
El Paso
91.4
Raleigh
93.3
Utilities+7.7%
El Paso
82.6
Raleigh
89

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Raleigh, NC
$87,400
$7,400 more needed in Raleigh

Formula: salary × (98.2 ÷ 89.9) = salary × 1.0923. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

El Paso, TX

Median Home Price
$226,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,500
Housing Index
71.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
12.6×

Raleigh, NC

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

Raleigh has 45.4% higher housing costs compared to El Paso.

Income & Job Market

El Paso, TX

Median Household Income
$59,000
Per Capita Income
$33,600
Unemployment Rate
4.2%
Population
678,815
Top Industries
GovernmentMilitaryHealthcareRetailManufacturing

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).

El Paso, TX
3.3×income-to-rent ratio

69% 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.