Question 1

Is Philadelphia or Raleigh cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Raleigh, NC is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $344/month less than in Philadelphia, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,810/mo in Philadelphia versus $1,750/mo in Raleigh.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Philadelphia vs Raleigh?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $86,000/year before tax in Philadelphia, PA and $74,500/year in Raleigh, NC — a difference of about $11,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Philadelphia or Raleigh cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Raleigh, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,840/month in Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia or Raleigh?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Raleigh 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	Philadelphia52	Raleigh75
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,381	$4,037
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,840	$7,682
Salary for comfort	$86,000/yr	$74,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,810	$1,750
Median home value	$232,400	$377,800
Median household income	$60,698	$82,424
Unemployment	5.0%	3.1%
Housing score	47	58
Jobs score	49	84
Safety score	4	59
Climate score	100	100
Amenities score	46	62
Population	1.6M	470.8K
Summer high / winter low	88° / 27°	90° / 30°

Philadelphia, PA vs Raleigh, NC