Cost of Living in Durham, NC
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Price level
97.6
U.S. average = 100 · #119 of 387
Median wage
$60,720
all jobs · $4,088/mo take-home
1-bedroom rent
$1,456
HUD fair market rent
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in Durham, NC to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
Salary needed to keep your lifestyle
—
Prices in Durham, NC vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Index (U.S. = 100) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 97.6 | −2.4% |
| Housing | 98.9 | −1.1% |
| Goods | 96.6 | −3.4% |
| Utilities | 89.3 | −10.7% |
| Other services | 98.2 | −1.8% |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Rent in Durham, NC
| Unit | Monthly rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,372 | $54,880/yr |
| 1 bedroom | $1,456 | $58,240/yr |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,660 | $66,400/yr |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,064 | $82,560/yr |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,450 | $98,000/yr |
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026, population-weighted across the metro's counties.
Take-home pay in Durham, NC
Your take-home pay
$49,055
per year · effective tax rate 19.2%
$4,088Monthly
$2,044Twice a month
$1,887Every 2 weeks
$23.58Hourly
- Federal income tax$5,106
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,765
- Medicare (1.45%)$880
- North Carolina income tax$1,914
- Take-home pay$49,055
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.99% state
Highest-paying jobs in Durham, NC
*In U.S.-average dollars after adjusting for local prices.
Frequently asked questions
Is Durham, NC expensive to live in?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall prices in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area are 97.6% of the U.S. average, with housing at 98.9%. It is the #119 most expensive of 387 metro areas we track.
What salary do you need to live in Durham, NC?
To match the buying power of a $60,000 salary in an average-priced U.S. city you would need about $58,543 in Durham, NC (before tax differences). The median wage across all jobs here is $60,720.
How much is rent in Durham, NC?
HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for Durham, NC are $1,372 for a studio, $1,456 for one bedroom, $1,660 for two bedrooms and $2,064 for three bedrooms, including utilities.
All salaries in Durham, NC
Management Occupations
- Sales Manager — $190,370
- Natural Sciences Manager — $183,540
- Computer and Information Systems Manager — $176,190
- Marketing Manager — $175,160
- Architectural and Engineering Manager — $172,480
- Financial Manager — $165,470
- Human Resources Manager — $160,580
- Managers, All Other — $152,090
- Industrial Production Manager — $137,950
- Medical and Health Services Manager — $133,970
- Construction Manager — $119,980
- Facilities Manager — $118,990
- General and Operations Manager — $113,930
- Administrative Services Manager — $107,720
- Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary — $89,750
- Food Service Manager — $75,800
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers — $61,010
Business and Financial Operations Occupations
- Management Analyst — $126,110
- Project Management Specialist — $104,870
- Financial and Investment Analyst — $102,140
- Business Operations Specialists, All Other — $95,460
- Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist — $93,110
- Accountant and Auditor — $85,090
- Logistician — $84,300
- Compliance Officer — $83,780
- Financial Specialists, All Other — $83,650
- Human Resources Specialist — $81,100
- Buyer and Purchasing Agent — $79,620
- Training and Development Specialist — $74,530
- Personal Financial Advisor — $63,300
Computer and Mathematical Occupations
- Computer Network Architect — $144,990
- Database Architect — $141,770
- Software Developer — $135,620
- Web and Digital Interface Designer — $133,340
- Information Security Analyst — $129,670
- Computer Occupations, All Other — $126,300
- Software Quality Assurance Analyst and Tester — $122,980
- Network and Computer Systems Administrator — $110,640
- Data Scientist — $106,500
- Computer Systems Analyst — $106,410
- Computer Programmer — $105,160
- Statistician — $103,290
- Computer Network Support Specialist — $81,090
- Computer User Support Specialist — $71,750
Architecture and Engineering Occupations
- Electrical Engineer — $129,030
- Engineers, All Other — $127,710
- Industrial Engineer — $102,890
- Mechanical Engineer — $101,650
- Civil Engineer — $93,940
Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
- Life Scientists, All Other — $105,850
- Biological Scientists, All Other — $98,700
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists — $96,430
- Chemist — $81,580
- Biological Technician — $58,400
Community and Social Service Occupations
- Healthcare Social Worker — $77,160
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers — $62,370
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors — $59,560
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors — $58,460
- Social and Human Service Assistant — $45,490
Legal Occupations
- Lawyer — $132,790
- Paralegal and Legal Assistant — $52,500
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
- Librarian and Media Collections Specialist — $74,980
- Instructional Coordinator — $61,480
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $57,870
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education — $51,400
- Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $51,340
- Self-Enrichment Teacher — $46,730
- Tutor — $45,350
- Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education — $36,600
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term — $35,190
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary — $29,090
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations
- Public Relations Specialist — $76,970
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- Pharmacist — $141,360
- Physician Assistant — $132,670
- Nurse Practitioner — $132,300
- Physical Therapist — $100,240
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician — $80,430
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse — $66,950
- Medical Records Specialist — $57,290
- Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other — $54,610
- Pharmacy Technician — $47,350
Healthcare Support Occupations
- Dental Assistant — $51,670
- Medical Assistant — $46,450
- Nursing Assistant — $40,560
- Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker — $37,980
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $33,630
Protective Service Occupations
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officer — $60,100
- Security Guard — $38,530
- Firefighter — $38,350
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $46,150
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $38,970
- Bartender — $37,110
- Cooks, Restaurant — $36,170
- Waiter and Waitress — $35,230
- Food Preparation Worker — $34,560
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $34,500
- Dishwasher — $33,800
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $29,440
- Cooks, Fast Food — $29,190
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $29,170
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $27,410
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker — $38,610
- Maid and Housekeeping Cleaner — $37,300
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners — $36,590
Personal Care and Service Occupations
- Exercise Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor — $49,410
- Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists — $48,060
- Animal Caretaker — $33,960
- Recreation Worker — $31,720
- Childcare Worker — $30,970
- Amusement and Recreation Attendant — $27,470
Sales and Related Occupations
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products — $131,120
- First-Line Supervisor of Non-Retail Sales Workers — $102,300
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel — $72,460
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products — $70,870
- Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents — $62,070
- Insurance Sales Agent — $59,120
- First-Line Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers — $48,720
- Counter and Rental Clerk — $38,480
- Parts Salesperson — $31,890
- Retail Salesperson — $31,790
- Cashier — $29,920
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $68,450
- Executive Secretary and Executive Administrative Assistant — $64,170
- Postal Service Mail Carrier — $62,960
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $50,790
- Production, Planning, and Expediting Clerks — $50,170
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive — $47,840
- Office Clerks, General — $47,010
- Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $46,860
- Customer Service Representative — $46,800
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory Clerks — $44,160
- Receptionist and Information Clerk — $35,990
- Information and Record Clerks, All Other — $33,870
Construction and Extraction Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $75,430
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $60,110
- Electrician — $59,220
- Carpenter — $51,540
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator — $50,820
- Construction Laborer — $46,560
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
- First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers — $76,800
- Industrial Machinery Mechanic — $63,140
- Maintenance Workers, Machinery — $62,560
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers — $59,180
- Automotive Service Technician and Mechanic — $51,580
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General — $49,130
Production Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Production and Operating Workers — $77,930
- Chemical Equipment Operator and Tender — $60,080
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender — $50,260
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers — $49,390
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers — $43,950
- Production Workers, All Other — $42,620
- Miscellaneous Assembler and Fabricator — $39,000
- Baker — $35,100
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $62,000
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $53,280
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity — $46,460
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $44,090
- Light Truck Driver — $40,730
- Bus Drivers, School — $40,650
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $37,750
- Stocker and Order Filler — $36,410
- Packers and Packagers, Hand — $36,220
- Driver/Sales Worker — $30,970