Augusta vs Raleigh
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Augusta
Raleigh
💡 The Verdict
Augusta is 2% cheaper than Raleigh overall. A $75,000 salary in Augusta is equivalent to $76,500 in Raleigh.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Augusta (left) vs Raleigh (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Augusta versus Raleigh. Differences shown from Augusta perspective.
| Item | Augusta | Raleigh | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $790/mo | $1,010/mo | $-220.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $1,110/mo | $1,500/mo | $-390.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $1,520/mo | $1,950/mo | $-430.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $2.64 | $2.89 | $-0.25 |
| Milk (gallon) | $3.61 | $3.88 | $-0.27 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $3.55 | $3.31 | +$0.24 |
| Coffee (latte) | $5.72 | $5.93 | $-0.21 |
| Gas (gallon) | $3.49 | $3.37 | +$0.12 |
| Restaurant Meal | $16.49 | $18.36 | $-1.87 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Augusta has the same purchasing power as $76,500 in Raleigh.
Conversely, $75,000 in Raleigh equals $73,529 in Augusta.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
The $675 difference is driven by Maine having a higher state income tax rate. Maine details → · North Carolina details →
Reading These Numbers: Augusta (100) vs Raleigh (102)
Augusta at 100 is 0% below the US average, while Raleigh at 102 is 2% above average. The cost difference between these cities is relatively modest.
In Augusta, the composite index of 100 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 86, followed by groceries (98), utilities (102), transportation (105), and healthcare (103). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.
For renters: With median rents of $1,110/mo in Augusta and $1,500/mo in Raleigh, the annual rent difference is approximately $4,680.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $23,400.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $94,000.0 difference in median home prices between Augusta and Raleigh translates to meaningful differences in mortgage payments at current rates. Factor this into your budget alongside property taxes and insurance, which also vary by location.
🔗 Related Tools
📚 Moving & Relocation Resources
Amazon affiliate links
CITY PROFILES
Making Your Decision: Augusta vs Raleigh
Choosing between Augusta and Raleigh involves more than just comparing index numbers. Consider how each category aligns with your personal spending patterns. If you work from home, transportation costs matter less than housing and utilities. If you eat out frequently, the groceries index may understate your actual food spending — look at the restaurant meal prices in the detailed comparison table above instead.
The cost gap between Augusta and Raleigh reflects thousands of individual pricing differences across housing markets, grocery chains, utility providers, and healthcare networks. No two households experience the same effective cost of living even in the same city, which is why the category breakdown matters more than the headline number. Adjust the lifestyle weighting sliders above to see how your spending priorities shift the comparison between these specific metros.