8. I go a grocery store in Durham and buy food costing a total of $86.71 and non-food items costing a total of $23.36. Do I pay more total sales tax on the food or on the non- food items? From durhamnc.gov: "Durham County increased the tax rate to 7.75%. The sales tax rate of 7.75 cents per dollar is on all retail sales except food purchases to be consumed at home, which are taxed at 2.0 cents per dollar. Most services and prescription drugs are exempt from sales taxes."