

Charlotte vs Richmond
$224/mo less in Richmond
CharlotteRichmondAbout 243 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Richmond costs you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,333/mo in Richmond. $2,557/mo in Charlotte. −$2,688 a year.
Charlotte
$2,557
left each month
Richmond
$2,333
−$224 vs Charlotte
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 177 households moved Charlotte → Richmond (avg AGI $88,932). 285 went the other way. The whole move →
−$224 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Charlotte | Richmond | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,708 | $7,553 | −$156 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,869 | $1,913 | +$43 |
| Take-home pay | $5,839 | $5,640 | −$199 |
| Rent | $1,322 | $1,362 | +$40 |
| Getting around | $568 | $553 | −$15 |
| Groceries | $384 | $384 | $0 |
| Healthcare | $432 | $432 | $0 |
| Utilities | $240 | $240 | $0 |
| Everything else | $336 | $336 | $0 |
| Left over | $2,557 | $2,333 | −$224 |
Salary to match Charlotte
$95,000
Gross pay in Richmond that leaves the same amount as $92,500 in Charlotte.
Tax difference
−$1,076
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 24.2% in Charlotte, 25.3% in Richmond.
More about Richmond
Charlotte, NC in full
A banking hub with a 4.25% flat tax and mild winters.
Richmond, VA in full
DC's cheaper cousin, two hours from both mountains and ocean.
The other way
Start in Richmond.
Richmond → Charlotte →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Richmond than Charlotte?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Richmond leaves about $224 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,322 in Charlotte and $1,362 in Richmond.
Does Richmond have state income tax?
Richmond is in Virginia, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Charlotte to Richmond?
The paycheck is taxed in Virginia. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Charlotte and Richmond changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.