Durham vs Winston-Salem
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Durham
Winston-Salem
The Verdict
Winston-Salem is 20.2% less expensive than Durham overall. A household earning $75,000 in Durham would need approximately $62,376 in Winston-Salem to maintain the same standard of living.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable
Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Durham has the same purchasing power as $62,376 in Winston-Salem.
Conversely, $75,000 in Winston-Salem equals $90,179 in Durham.
Living in Durham vs Winston-Salem
Housing Costs
Durham's housing index of 104 is higher Winston-Salem's 63, translating to median home prices of $340,000 vs $250,000. The $90,000 difference in home prices means roughly $5,856 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $1,400/mo in Durham compared to $1,050/mo in Winston-Salem, a monthly difference of $350.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 100 in Durham and 97 in Winston-Salem. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $475/month in Durham vs $461/month in Winston-Salem. The difference in grocery costs between these cities is relatively minor and unlikely to be a deciding factor in relocation.
Utility Expenses
Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 93 in Durham and 99 in Winston-Salem. Monthly utility bills average approximately $372 in Durham vs $396 in Winston-Salem. Utility costs are relatively comparable between these two cities.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs index at 108 in Durham and 103 in Winston-Salem. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. Healthcare costs are relatively similar between these two cities, though individual plan costs can still vary.
Income & Purchasing Power
Median household income is $57,738 in Durham and $52,600 in Winston-Salem. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $57,166 and $62,619 respectively. Winston-Salem residents come out ahead in real purchasing power.
Relocation Considerations
Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,347/month to housing in Durham vs $1,227/month in Winston-Salem. In Durham, median rent of $1,400/mo exceeds this threshold, suggesting renters may feel stretched. In Winston-Salem, median rent of $1,050/mo remains manageable. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 41 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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