What city has the lowest cost of living?

Among major US cities, Memphis, TN, Oklahoma City, OK, and Wichita, KS consistently rank as the most affordable with cost of living indices around 80-85 (vs. 100 national average).

How much more expensive is New York City than average?

New York City has a cost of living index around 187, meaning it costs 87% more than the national average. A $100,000 salary in NYC feels like ~$53,500 elsewhere.

Cost of Living Calculator by City (2026): Compare 300+ US Cities

Compare the cost of living across US cities to understand what your salary is really worth in different locations.

Cost of Living Index: Major US Cities

Index of 100 = National Average. Higher = more expensive.

City	Overall Index	Housing	Groceries	Transportation	Healthcare
New York City, NY	187	325	112	130	108
San Francisco, CA	180	315	115	125	110
Honolulu, HI	170	265	145	135	105
Boston, MA	152	225	108	115	118
Los Angeles, CA	150	240	108	130	105
Seattle, WA	149	230	112	120	110
San Diego, CA	146	225	108	125	108
Washington, DC	145	215	105	115	105
Miami, FL	138	195	105	110	108
Denver, CO	125	175	102	105	105
Austin, TX	115	150	98	100	102
Portland, OR	112	150	105	110	108
Nashville, TN	105	125	95	98	102
National Average	100	100	100	100	100
Phoenix, AZ	98	115	98	100	98
Atlanta, GA	97	105	98	102	100
Dallas, TX	96	105	95	98	102
Houston, TX	92	90	95	100	100
Charlotte, NC	92	95	98	95	98
San Antonio, TX	88	82	92	95	98
Indianapolis, IN	87	78	95	92	100
Columbus, OH	89	82	98	95	98
Oklahoma City, OK	84	72	92	90	95
Memphis, TN	82	68	90	88	95
Wichita, KS	81	65	92	88	92

What Your Salary Is Worth: City Comparison

If you earn $75,000 in the national average cost of living area:

City	Equivalent Salary Needed	$75K Feels Like
New York City	$140,250	$40,100
San Francisco	$135,000	$41,700
Boston	$114,000	$49,300
Los Angeles	$112,500	$50,000
Seattle	$111,750	$50,300
Washington, DC	$108,750	$51,700
Denver	$93,750	$60,000
Austin	$86,250	$65,200
Nashville	$78,750	$71,400
National Average	$75,000	$75,000
Dallas	$72,000	$78,100
Houston	$69,000	$81,500
Indianapolis	$65,250	$86,200
Oklahoma City	$63,000	$89,300
Memphis	$61,500	$91,500

Housing Costs Comparison

Housing is the biggest cost of living factor. Monthly rent for a 1-bedroom apartment:

City	1BR (City Center)	1BR (Outside Center)	Median Home Price
San Francisco, CA	$3,200	$2,500	$1,350,000
New York City, NY	$3,400	$2,200	$750,000*
Boston, MA	$2,800	$2,100	$680,000
Los Angeles, CA	$2,400	$1,900	$850,000
Seattle, WA	$2,200	$1,700	$780,000
San Diego, CA	$2,300	$1,800	$820,000
Washington, DC	$2,200	$1,700	$575,000
Miami, FL	$2,400	$1,800	$480,000
Denver, CO	$1,800	$1,400	$525,000
Austin, TX	$1,700	$1,300	$450,000
Nashville, TN	$1,600	$1,250	$400,000
Dallas, TX	$1,500	$1,100	$340,000
Phoenix, AZ	$1,400	$1,100	$380,000
Atlanta, GA	$1,600	$1,200	$350,000
Houston, TX	$1,400	$1,000	$290,000
Indianapolis, IN	$1,200	$850	$235,000
Oklahoma City, OK	$950	$750	$195,000
Memphis, TN	$1,000	$800	$180,000

*NYC median varies significantly by borough

Other Key Expenses by City

Groceries (Monthly, Single Person)

City	Groceries
Honolulu, HI	$500
San Francisco, CA	$450
New York City, NY	$425
Seattle, WA	$415
Boston, MA	$400
Los Angeles, CA	$395
National Average	$350
Dallas, TX	$340
Houston, TX	$335
Phoenix, AZ	$335
Atlanta, GA	$330
Memphis, TN	$315
Oklahoma City, OK	$310

Transportation (Monthly, Car Owner)

City	Gas + Insurance + Parking
New York City, NY	$550 (or $130 MetroCard)
San Francisco, CA	$475
Los Angeles, CA	$450
Seattle, WA	$425
Boston, MA	$420
Washington, DC	$410
National Average	$350
Denver, CO	$340
Austin, TX	$330
Dallas, TX	$320
Houston, TX	$325
Atlanta, GA	$330
Phoenix, AZ	$315
Oklahoma City, OK	$290

Best Cities for Your Budget

Best Value (Good Jobs + Low Cost)

City	Median Salary	CoL Index	Value Score
Austin, TX	$65,000	115	Excellent
Dallas, TX	$60,000	96	Very Good
Raleigh, NC	$62,000	98	Very Good
Nashville, TN	$58,000	105	Good
Salt Lake City, UT	$58,000	105	Good
Tampa, FL	$52,000	95	Good

Highest Salaries (May Offset High Costs)

City	Median Salary	CoL Index	Net Position
San Francisco, CA	$95,000	180	Neutral
San Jose, CA	$105,000	175	Positive
Seattle, WA	$82,000	149	Positive
New York City, NY	$72,000	187	Negative
Boston, MA	$73,000	152	Neutral

Most Affordable (Good Quality of Life)

City	Median Salary	CoL Index	Net Position
Indianapolis, IN	$52,000	87	Very Positive
Columbus, OH	$54,000	89	Very Positive
Kansas City, MO	$53,000	89	Very Positive
Oklahoma City, OK	$48,000	84	Positive
Louisville, KY	$50,000	90	Positive

How to Calculate Your Adjusted Salary

Formula: Your Adjusted Salary = (Your Salary × 100) ÷ Target City Index

Example:

Current salary: $80,000 in Indianapolis (Index: 87)
Job offer: $95,000 in Denver (Index: 125)

Indianapolis purchasing power: $80,000 × 100 ÷ 87 = $91,954

Denver purchasing power: $95,000 × 100 ÷ 125 = $76,000

Reality: The Denver offer is a pay cut in real terms despite appearing higher.

Factors Beyond the Index

Factor	Consideration
State income tax	Texas, FL, WA have none
Local income tax	NYC, some OH cities add local tax
Property tax	TX high, CA relatively low (Prop 13)
Car necessity	NYC can be car-free; most cities require one
Weather	Heating costs vary; cooling costs in South
Career growth	Major metros offer more opportunities

Cost of Living Calculator

To compare two cities, use this formula:

Equivalent Salary = Current Salary × (Target City Index ÷ Current City Index)

Example:

Current: $70,000 in Houston (Index: 92)
Target: San Diego (Index: 146)
Equivalent needed: $70,000 × (146 ÷ 92) = $111,087

You’d need $111K in San Diego to maintain your Houston lifestyle.

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