Raleigh, North Carolina
Living in Raleigh, North Carolina is close to the national average, with a cost of living index of 102 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,669 a month, 14% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $3.23 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 30% of the area's $101,763 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.23
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,669
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$13.00
Combo meal
Electricity
14.95¢
per kWh · ~$135/mo
Car Insurance
$140/mo
$1,680/yr
Median Household Income
$101,763
30.2% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $1,680 in Raleigh. Compare rates:
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Find Apartments
Avg rent $1,669/mo in Raleigh. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.55 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
Apples (3 lb)
$5.25 estimate
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.95 estimate
Yogurt (32 oz)
$5.16 estimate
Cereal (family size)
$6.26 estimate
Frozen Pizza
$9.12 estimate
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.76 | $5.55 | +47.6% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.63 | $5.25 | +13.4% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $5.61 | $7.95 | +41.7% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.20 | $5.16 | +22.9% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.80 | $6.26 | +30.4% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $6.32 | $9.12 | +44.3% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$13.00
Casual Dining
$25.00
Monthly Spend
$386.44
+5.47% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $8.22
$13.26
+61.3%Wendy's
2022: $9.28
$14.32
+54.3%Chipotle
2022: $9.95
$14.85
+49.2%Starbucks
2022: $4.42
$6.14
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Raleigh?
Average 1BR: $1,369/mo · 2BR: $1,969/mo
Local Workforce
2024 · BLS QCEWTotal Jobs
653k
Median Weekly Pay
$1,477
$77k/yr
Top Sector
Professional & Business Services
Household vs Worker Pay
$102k
household median
Employment by Sector — Raleigh
% of local workforce · avg weekly wage · 5-year growth trend
~$99k/yr
~$61k/yr
~$68k/yr
~$28k/yr
~$85k/yr
Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual · County FIPS 37183
Highest Paying Sector
Information
$2,871/wk · $149k/yr
Most Workers (lowest wage)
Leisure & Hospitality
$534/wk · $28k/yr
Raleigh Cost of Living FAQ
Is Raleigh, NC expensive to live in?
Raleigh has a cost of living index of 102, where 100 is the US average, so it is close to average. It is the most expensive of the 22 North Carolina cities we track.
What is the average rent in Raleigh, NC?
Typical rent in Raleigh is $1,669 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 14% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,369 and two bedrooms about $1,969. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Raleigh?
Rent in Raleigh rose 1.4% over the past year, slower than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Raleigh?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.23 a gallon in Raleigh as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for North Carolina. That is 19% below the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Raleigh?
Homes in North Carolina pay an average of 14.9 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Raleigh is about $135.
How much is car insurance in Raleigh?
Full coverage car insurance averages $1,680 a year in North Carolina, or about $140 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Raleigh?
Median household income in the Raleigh area is $101,763 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $30,766 a year, or 30% of that income. Groceries are counted at $5,502 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Raleigh compare with the rest of North Carolina?
Rent in Raleigh is 9% above the $1,524 average across the 22 North Carolina cities we track, and its cost of living index of 102 compares with a state average of 95.
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