Loading
Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in Montana — 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 285 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
#1 Ranked: Frisco — cost index 118, rent $1,751/mo, income $146,158
175 of 285 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
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in Montana — 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 285 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
A closer look at Frisco: the cost index of 118 — whether that matters depends on your situation — breaks down to a Utilities index of 108 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 145 (weakest). Median rent is $1,751/month — 8% below the national median — while household income sits at $146,158, meaning locals spend about 14% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. And roughly speaking, 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours (that's pre-tax, of course). No gimmicks — just good numbers.
225,007 residents · Texas
Real talk: 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.
150,245 residents · Illinois
In plain English: Why Naperville ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. That alone makes it worth considering. 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
Dive into Sugar Land's numbers: cost index 112 — for better or worse — (0 points above national average), rent $1,990/month, income $137,511, and a home price of $440,419. Fairly typical for a city this size. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 103, while Housing runs 130. With 108,515 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
111,620 residents · Texas
A closer look at Allen: the cost index of 109 — for better or worse — breaks down to a Utilities index of 100 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 122 (weakest). Median rent is $1,634/month — 14% below the national median — while household income sits at $129,130, meaning locals spend about 15% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
116,320 residents · Texas
The #5 spot goes to League, and the breakdown explains why. And in most cases, renters here pay $1,764/month — saving renters $1,572 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 97, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 113. At a 18% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
Frisco ranks #1 in Montana 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 #285) 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.
Montana 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.