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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in Florida — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Frisco (index 118, rent $1,751/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 264 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in Florida — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Frisco (index 118, rent $1,751/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 264 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
Frisco earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 118 cost index sits 6 points above the national baseline, and the $146,158 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $653,858 — $186,488 above the national median, reflecting the local market dynamics. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 108, while Housing trails at 145.
Overlay the tax picture, and things shift again: State context matters: Florida's 22 cities average a 113 cost index with $2,171/month median rent and $69,398 household income. No income tax, booming migration, and rising rents. Cross-reference this ranking with the state salary page. The overlap is telling.
Bottom line: Frisco leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
#1 Ranked: Frisco — cost index 118, rent $1,751/mo, income $146,158
166 of 264 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
225,007 residents · Texas
Straight up: Why Frisco ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 118 on the cost index, residents spend roughly 6% more than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,751/month while the median household pulls in $146,158/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 108, though Housing (145) lags behind. Home prices average $653,858 — $186,488 above the national median.
150,245 residents · Illinois
Why Naperville ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 122 on the cost index, residents spend roughly 10% more than the typical American. Rent sits at $2,157/month while the median household pulls in $150,937/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 112, though Housing (154) lags behind. Home prices average $594,498 — $127,128 above the national median.
108,515 residents · Texas
What does daily life actually cost in Sugar Land? Start with the 17% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Utilities (index 103) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 130) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $137,511 and homes at $440,419 round out a profile that ranks #3 for clear reasons.
111,620 residents · Texas
The #4 spot goes to Allen, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,634/month — saving renters $3,132 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 100, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 122. At a 15% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
116,320 residents · Texas
League earns its position at #5 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 105 cost index sits 7 points below the national baseline, and the $119,870 median income means purchasing power here is genuinely above average. Homes list at $368,400 — $98,970 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 97, while Housing trails at 113.
We pull all cities outside Florida and rank them by value ratio (income ÷ cost index). Cities offering lower costs or higher income than Florida's averages surface first. Population and rent data provide additional context. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Frisco ranks #1 in Florida for this analysis with a cost index of 118 and median income of $146,158.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Frisco (ranked #1) has a cost index of 118 and rent of $1,751/mo, while Mesquite (ranked #264) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,397/mo — a 24-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Frisco is $1,751/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $144 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Frisco is $653,858, which is 4.5× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
Florida has a 0% state income tax rate — one of the states with no income tax. Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.19%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.6%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.