Cleveland, OH vs Raleigh, NC Cost of Living (2026)

Cleveland has a cost of living index of 92.8, about 7.2% below the national average. Housing runs below the national baseline, with a housing index of 79.7. Typical apartment rent is about $1,476 a month, and median home values are around $399,663. The median household income is approximately $50,000. For workers who earn average or above-average salaries, Cleveland offers exceptional purchasing power relative to nearly any other major US metro.

A $100,000 salary in an average-cost city stretches to about $107,800 in Cleveland. That extra room can make it easier to save, pay down debt, or stretch for a better housing setup. Most everyday categories stay manageable here, although healthcare still runs a bit high.

Ohio has a progressive income tax, and Cleveland and the surrounding municipalities add local income taxes on top. Cleveland itself has a 2.5% city income tax, and the suburb where someone lives may also charge a local income tax, though residents typically receive partial credit to avoid full double taxation. Ohio's state income tax reaches 3.75% at the top bracket. The combined local and state burden is moderate but not negligible.

Like Detroit, Cleveland's affordability reflects a city that has lost significant population over the past 60 years, from a peak of nearly 900,000 in 1950 to roughly 370,000 today. The metro area is larger and more stable than the city itself. Suburbs like Lakewood, Shaker Heights, Cleveland Heights, and Westlake have strong housing markets with good school systems and reasonably maintained infrastructure, and they carry higher prices than the city core. Workers who want affordability without sacrificing basic services typically find a better balance in the inner suburbs than in the city proper.

Raleigh has a cost of living index of 94.7, about 5.3% below the national average. Housing runs below the national baseline, with a housing index of 87.5. Typical apartment rent is about $1,492 a month, and median home values are around $453,944. The median household income is approximately $72,000. Raleigh has seen rapid growth driven by the Research Triangle Park corridor, which houses major employers in technology, pharmaceuticals, and research.

A $100,000 salary in an average-cost city stretches to about $105,600 in Raleigh. That extra room can make it easier to save, pay down debt, or stretch for a better housing setup. Most everyday categories stay manageable here, although healthcare still runs a bit high.

North Carolina has a flat state income tax of 4.5%, which is straightforward and relatively low. There is no Raleigh city income tax. Sales tax in Wake County runs about 7.25%. Property taxes in Wake County are moderate, with effective rates around 0.8 to 1.0% of assessed value.

One specific dynamic in Raleigh: the growth of Research Triangle Park companies has created significant salary variation within the metro. Tech workers at IBM, Cisco, or SAS often earn $120,000 to $180,000 or more, while service, healthcare support, and government workers may earn $45,000 to $70,000. The same apartment costs the same for both groups, so workers at the lower end of the income spectrum face more budget pressure than the city-level median income suggests.