Question 1

Is El Paso or Raleigh cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

El Paso, TX is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $458/month less than in Raleigh, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,191/mo in El Paso versus $1,750/mo in Raleigh.

Question 2

What salary do you need in El Paso vs Raleigh?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $61,500/year before tax in El Paso, TX and $74,500/year in Raleigh, NC — a difference of about $13,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is El Paso or Raleigh cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

El Paso, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $6,885/month in El Paso and $7,682/month in Raleigh, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to El Paso or Raleigh?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. El Paso costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	El Paso81	Raleigh75
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,579	$4,037
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$6,885	$7,682
Salary for comfort	$61,500/yr	$74,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,191	$1,750
Median home value	$171,700	$377,800
Median household income	$58,734	$82,424
Unemployment	4.2%	3.1%
Housing score	86	58
Jobs score	54	84
Safety score	98	59
Climate score	94	100
Amenities score	39	62
Population	678.1K	470.8K
Summer high / winter low	95° / 33°	90° / 30°

El Paso, TX vs Raleigh, NC