Cost of Living: Charlotte, NC vs Phoenix, AZ

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,254/mo in Charlotte, NC versus $4,370/mo in Phoenix, AZ. In the model, rent is about 21.91% of gross in Charlotte, NC versus 21.24% in Phoenix, AZ, so Phoenix, AZ tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Charlotte, NC
$4,254/mo
Income level: below
Take-home in Phoenix, AZ
$4,370/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Charlotte, NC
21.91%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Phoenix, AZ
21.24%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Charlotte, NC and Phoenix, AZ.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Charlotte, NC
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Phoenix, AZ
  • Lower home prices: Charlotte, NC
  • Higher median household income: Charlotte, NC

Cost of Living Index

Charlotte, NC: 95.6 (U.S. = 100) · Phoenix, AZ: 102.4 (U.S. = 100)

Charlotte, NC has a lower cost-of-living index than Phoenix, AZ, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Charlotte, NC: $1,429/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Phoenix, AZ: $1,385/mo

Median rent in Charlotte, NC is $44/mo higher than in Phoenix, AZ.

Median Home Price

Charlotte, NC: $351,500 · Phoenix, AZ: $381,900

Median home price in Phoenix, AZ is $30,400 higher than in Charlotte, NC.

Median Household Income

Charlotte, NC: $78,438 · Phoenix, AZ: $77,041

Charlotte, NC has a higher median household income than Phoenix, AZ by $1,397.

Charlotte, NC overview · Phoenix, AZ overview · Popular comparisons