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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Let's be honest: Kansas isn't cheap. But within that premium market, there are cities where your dollar stretches meaningfully further. Frisco proves it with a cost index of 118, the lowest in Kansas, and we've ranked all 282 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expensive landscape.
Let's be honest: Kansas isn't cheap. But within that premium market, there are cities where your dollar stretches meaningfully further. Frisco proves it with a cost index of 118, the lowest in Kansas, and we've ranked all 282 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expensive landscape.
What does daily life actually cost in Frisco? Start with the 14% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Utilities (index 108) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 145) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $146,158 and homes at $653,858 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
The ranking uses a composite of 2026 data from Census Bureau population/income surveys, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary benchmarks, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Frisco (index 118, rent $1,751); Naperville (index 122, rent $2,157); Sugar Land (index 112, rent $1,990). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
What you won't find on most comparison sites: Here's the state-level backdrop: Kansas averages a 98 cost index, $1,438/mo rent, and $83,761 income across 4 cities. That's $457 less than the national rent average. Plains affordability with steady incomes — and that context shapes every city in this ranking.
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
172 of 282 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
Dive into Frisco's numbers: cost index 118 (6 points above national average), rent $1,751/month, income $146,158, and a home price of $653,858. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 108, while Housing runs 145. With 225,007 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
150,245 residents · Illinois
A closer look at Naperville: the cost index of 122 breaks down to a Utilities index of 112 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 154 (weakest). Median rent is $2,157/month — 14% above the national median — while household income sits at $150,937, meaning locals spend about 17% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
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
What does daily life actually cost in Allen? Start with the 15% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Utilities (index 100) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 122) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $129,130 and homes at $497,016 round out a profile that ranks #4 for clear reasons (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
116,320 residents · Texas
Straight up: a closer look at League: the cost index of 105 breaks down to a Utilities index of 97 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 113 (weakest). Median rent is $1,764/month — 7% below the national median — while household income sits at $119,870, meaning locals spend about 18% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard (that's pre-tax, of course).
Frisco ranks #1 in Kansas 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 #282) 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.
Kansas 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.