Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Durham, NC and Cincinnati, OH

For one person, living is cheaper in Cincinnati, OH: $2,323 a month against $2,554 in Durham, NC, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Durham, NC outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

125

Cost of Living Index in Durham, NC
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Durham, NC Living Index
114

Cost of Living Index in Cincinnati, OH
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Cincinnati, OH Living Index

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Durham, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,554

/mo nomad

Cincinnati, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,323

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Durham, NC and in Cincinnati, OH

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Durham, NC and in Cincinnati, OH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,554 per month in Durham, NC vs $2,323 in Cincinnati, OH, rent included.

Durham, NC $2,554
Cincinnati, OH $2,323

A couple spends around $3,914 per month in Durham, NC vs $3,448 in Cincinnati, OH, rent included.

Durham, NC $3,914
Cincinnati, OH $3,448

A family of three spends $5,274 per month in Durham, NC vs $4,573 in Cincinnati, OH, rent included.

Durham, NC $5,274
Cincinnati, OH $4,573

Durham, NC costs about 10% more than Cincinnati, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Durham, NC and Cincinnati, OH sit above the global median – Durham, NC by 89%, Cincinnati, OH by 72%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.60 $15.60

$15.17 $15.17

2.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$103 $103

$51.0 $51.0

102.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 $10.06

$9.90 $9.90

1.62%

Cappuccino

$4.61 $4.61

$5.00 $5.00

-7.80%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.30 $2.30

36.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.65 $1.65

24.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.85 $5.85

$5.39 $5.39

8.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 $6.96

$7.52 $7.52

-7.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$0.93 $0.93

26.88%

White Bread (500g)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.35 $3.35

48.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.98 $3.98

11.81%

Eggs

$3.48 $3.48

$4.22 $4.22

-17.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.27 $19.27

$12.72 $12.72

51.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.78 $16.78

$11.24 $11.24

49.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.16 $17.16

$15.99 $15.99

7.32%

Apples (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$5.82 $5.82

-1.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.58 $1.58

17.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$4.23 $4.23

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$4.68 $4.68

-1.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.54 $2.54

-9.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$3.25 $3.25

19.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.02 $2.02

34.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.91 $1.91

3.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.98 $7.98

$10.55 $10.55

-24.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.09 $15.09

$15.26 $15.26

-1.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.12 $2.12

-30.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 $4.00

$2.94 $2.94

36.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.71 $2.71

-43.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.28 $25.28

$104 $104

-75.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.70 $3.70

-47.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 $0.60

$1.22 $1.22

-50.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.26 $25.26

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.10 $1.10

-12.73%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.0K $35.0K

$35.6K $35.6K

-1.57%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.8K $24.8K

$25.1K $25.1K

-1.31%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$224 $224

$151 $151

48.13%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$56.2 $56.2

$76.1 $76.1

-26.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.9 $70.9

$72.6 $72.6

-2.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.70 $49.70

$35.88 $35.88

38.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.95 $13.95

Cinema Ticket

$13.19 $13.19

$15.10 $15.10

-12.65%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,542 $1,542

$1,465 $1,465

5.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K $19.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.17 $44.17

$45.76 $45.76

-3.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.03 $34.03

$44.95 $44.95

-24.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 $92.3

$86.0 $86.0

7.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$110 $110

22.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,710 $1,710

$1,521 $1,521

12.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,220 $1,220

$1,045 $1,045

16.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,543 $2,543

$3,272 $3,272

-22.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,210 $2,210

$1,821 $1,821

21.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,757 $2,757

$3,403 $3,403

-18.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,680 $2,680

$2,074 $2,074

29.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,585 $4,585

$4,137 $4,137

10.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.59

3.34%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Durham, NC: October 12, 2026

Last update for Cincinnati, OH: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Durham, NC

$1.2K 47.8%

Cincinnati, OH

$1K 45% 14.4% $175

Groceries & Markets

Durham, NC

$459 18%

Cincinnati, OH

$389 16.8% 15.2% $70

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Durham, NC

$351 13.7%

Cincinnati, OH

$300 12.9% 14.6% $51

Eating Out

Durham, NC

$274 10.7%

Cincinnati, OH

$269 11.6% 2% $5.5

Clothing & Footwear

Durham, NC

$137 5.4%

Cincinnati, OH

$129 5.6% 6.2% $8.6

Sport & Entertainment

Durham, NC

$76 3%

Cincinnati, OH

$66 2.8% 13.1% $10

Getting Around

Durham, NC

$36 1.4%

Cincinnati, OH

$125 5.4% 244% $89

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,710 in Durham, NC versus $1,521 in Cincinnati, OH. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 11% higher in Durham, NC, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Durham, NC versus $51.0 in Cincinnati, OH. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $459 vs $389 – making Cincinnati, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Durham, NC

🇺🇸 Cincinnati, OH

🕒 Local time

03:28 3:28 AM

Same time as Durham, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

283,506

298,800

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Durham, NC Cincinnati, OH 600 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Durham, NC
Cincinnati, OH

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Durham, NC vs Cincinnati, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,554 in Durham, NC, $2,323 in Cincinnati, OH – roughly 10% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,832 per month in Durham, NC and $3,484 in Cincinnati, OH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cincinnati, OH, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,554 in Durham, NC and $2,323 in Cincinnati, OH. That's a gap of about 10%.

Public transport costs about 313% less in Cincinnati, OH. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,554 in Durham, NC and $2,323 in Cincinnati, OH. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Durham, NC has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,323 in Cincinnati, OH to $2,554 in Durham, NC. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cincinnati, OH. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Durham, NC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.