Cost of Living by City

A cost-of-living index expresses how expensive a place is relative to the national average, which is set to 100. An index of 120 means costs are about 20% higher than the typical US city; an index of 90 means about 10% lower. Our index is modeled on the federal BEA Regional Price Parities.

Among the metros we track, New York, New York has the highest cost-of-living index at 123 (US average = 100). New York, San Francisco, San Jose, Honolulu, and Washington DC are consistently the priciest large US metros.

Of the cities we track, Memphis, Tennessee is among the most affordable with an index of 90. Metros across the South and Midwest — like Memphis, Oklahoma City, Birmingham, and El Paso — typically have the lowest overall costs.

Open any city page to see a transparent monthly budget for a single person — rent, groceries, utilities, transportation, healthcare, and other spending — plus the pre-tax salary typically needed to live comfortably there.

Our index is based on the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities and rents from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS). Figures are estimates for 2024 and refreshed as new federal data is released.