same $100k income, fresh start from Grand Rapids
changea dispatch from
raleigh
NC
35.78°N
78.64°W
Raleigh is the third leg of the Research Triangle, full of oaks (its nickname is the City of Oaks), state museums that are all free, and a downtown that's grown up fast without losing its quiet edges. NC State pumps young energy in, the food scene is sneaky-good, and the surrounding pine forests make summer evenings smell incredible. Beaches are two hours east, mountains three hours west.
in our guides
the verdict
more expensive each month than Grand Rapids
Barely costlier than Grand Rapids. If Raleigh pulls you in, it's the life it offers, not the price tag.
a quick ledger.
$1,663/mo
3% more expensive than Grand Rapids(vs $1,620/mo)
4.5%
$21/mo more in state tax than Grand Rapids
vs 4.25% in Grand Rapids
$6,295/mo
$64 less than Grand Rapids
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$440k
25% more expensive than Grand Rapids
vs $353k in Grand Rapids
1.5M
vs 1.2M in Grand Rapids
field notes, weather & such.
201
pleasant days a year, in raleigh.
Grand Rapids only logs 151 pleasant days.
32% fewer events than Grand Rapids. The pace eases up.
58/100
4% higher than Grand Rapids
vs 56/100 in Grand Rapids
Closest outdoor draw: William B. Umstead State Park, 9.9 mi.
97/100
0% lower than Grand Rapids
vs 97/100 in Grand Rapids
39
95% more than Grand Rapids
vs 20 nonstops in Grand Rapids
neighbors of raleigh on the map of tradeoffs:
