Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Raleigh, NC and Mesa, AZ

For one person, living is cheaper in Mesa, AZ: $2,499 a month against $2,643 in Raleigh, NC, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

126

Cost of Living Index in Raleigh, NC
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Raleigh, NC Living Index
119

Cost of Living Index in Mesa, AZ
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Mesa, AZ Living Index

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Raleigh, NC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,643

/mo nomad

Mesa, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,499

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Raleigh, NC and in Mesa, AZ

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

A single person spends $2,643 per month in Raleigh, NC vs $2,499 in Mesa, AZ, rent included.

Raleigh, NC $2,643
Mesa, AZ $2,499

A couple spends around $3,817 per month in Raleigh, NC vs $3,629 in Mesa, AZ, rent included.

Raleigh, NC $3,817
Mesa, AZ $3,629

A family of three spends $4,991 per month in Raleigh, NC vs $4,760 in Mesa, AZ, rent included.

Raleigh, NC $4,991
Mesa, AZ $4,760

Raleigh, NC costs about 6% more than Mesa, AZ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Raleigh, NC and Mesa, AZ sit above the global median – Raleigh, NC by 94%, Mesa, AZ by 84%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.90 $21.90

$19.69 $19.69

11.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.4 $88.4

$64.6 $64.6

36.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.44 $11.44

$13.40 $13.40

-14.63%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$6.15 $6.15

-8.94%

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

$2.83 $2.83

$2.32 $2.32

21.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.95 $1.95

10.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$5.82 $5.82

5.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$7.03 $7.03

-1.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$0.78 $0.78

12.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 $3.79

$4.05 $4.05

-6.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$6.24 $6.24

-49.20%

Eggs

$4.78 $4.78

$4.18 $4.18

14.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.10 $15.10

$13.22 $13.22

14.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 $9.74

$12.93 $12.93

-24.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.81 $17.81

$14.69 $14.69

21.24%

Apples (1kg)

$6.61 $6.61

$5.33 $5.33

24.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.90 $1.90

-33.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$4.19 $4.19

6.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$5.21 $5.21

10.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.33 $3.33

-12.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.30 $3.30

9.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.84 $1.84

17.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.70 $2.70

-18.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.64 $8.64

$10.91 $10.91

-20.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 $15.11

$14.48 $14.48

4.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.08 $2.08

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.98 $2.98

-8.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.04 $2.04

-40.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.38 $40.38

$63.9 $63.9

-36.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.79 $2.79

4.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.34 $1.34

43.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.79 $17.79

$32.67 $32.67

-45.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.18 $1.18

-14.41%

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

$30.8K $30.8K

$27.8K $27.8K

10.78%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.3K $26.3K

-1.70%

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

$185 $185

$240 $240

-22.60%

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

$56.7 $56.7

$57.7 $57.7

-1.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 $68.5

$67.9 $67.9

0.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.01 $33.01

$30.48 $30.48

8.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.90 $5.90

$11.13 $11.13

-46.99%

Cinema Ticket

$14.74 $14.74

$10.89 $10.89

35.35%

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

$1,317 $1,317

$1,189 $1,189

10.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K $24.0K

$23.7K $23.7K

1.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 $60.5

$48.14 $48.14

25.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 $55.7

$38.54 $38.54

44.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$91.4 $91.4

11.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$105 $105

50.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,715 $1,715

$1,317 $1,317

30.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 $1,290

$1,120 $1,120

15.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,825 $2,825

$1,957 $1,957

44.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,915 $1,915

$1,820 $1,820

5.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,556 $4,556

$3,327 $3,327

36.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,115 $2,115

$2,691 $2,691

-21.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,605 $4,605

$4,260 $4,260

8.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

6.36

3.93%

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

Last update for Raleigh, NC: October 24, 2026

Last update for Mesa, AZ: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Raleigh, NC

$1.3K 48.8%

Mesa, AZ

$1.1K 44.8% 13.2% $171

Groceries & Markets

Raleigh, NC

$411 15.6%

Mesa, AZ

$421 16.8% 2.4% $9.9

Eating Out

Raleigh, NC

$341 12.9%

Mesa, AZ

$332 13.3% 2.8% $9.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Raleigh, NC

$311 11.8%

Mesa, AZ

$365 14.6% 17.5% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Raleigh, NC

$170 6.4%

Mesa, AZ

$128 5.1% 24.8% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Raleigh, NC

$62 2.4%

Mesa, AZ

$52 2.1% 16.3% $10

Getting Around

Raleigh, NC

$58 2.2%

Mesa, AZ

$82 3.3% 41.2% $24

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,715 in Raleigh, NC versus $1,317 in Mesa, AZ. 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 8% higher in Raleigh, NC. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88 in Raleigh, NC versus $65 in Mesa, AZ. Groceries tell a different story – $411 in Raleigh, NC vs $421 in Mesa, AZ – so Raleigh, NC wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Raleigh, NC

🇺🇸 Mesa, AZ

🕒 Local time

04:38 4:38 AM

02:38 2:38 AM

2 h behind Raleigh, NC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

431,746

504,258

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Raleigh, NC Mesa, AZ 3,040 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Raleigh, NC
Mesa, AZ

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

Raleigh, NC vs Mesa, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Raleigh, NC costs about 6% more than Mesa, AZ, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,964 per month in Raleigh, NC and $3,748 in Mesa, AZ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mesa, AZ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,317 there versus $1,715 in Raleigh, NC.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,643 in Raleigh, NC and $2,499 in Mesa, AZ. That makes Mesa, AZ about 5% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,317 per month in Raleigh, NC and $1,189 in Mesa, AZ. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,643 in Raleigh, NC and $2,499 in Mesa, AZ. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Mesa, AZ – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Mesa, AZ. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Raleigh, NC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.