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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Dollar for dollar, these cities represent some of the best deals in America. 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 112 — for better or worse — . Leading the pack: Albuquerque at index 99, where median rent of $1,457/month saves renters $5,256/year versus the national median.
Dollar for dollar, these cities represent some of the best deals in America. 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 112 — for better or worse — . Leading the pack: Albuquerque at index 99, where median rent of $1,457/month saves renters $5,256/year versus the national median.
Why Albuquerque ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 99 on the cost index, residents save roughly 13% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,457/month while the median household pulls in $65,604/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 91, though Healthcare (102) lags behind. Home prices average $338,329 — $129,041 below the national median.
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. Albuquerque (index 99, rent $1,457); Kansas (index 94, rent $1,418). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
The state-level view adds helpful context here. Nationally, the 288 cities in our database average a cost index of 112 — though some people might weigh that differently — , rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. That's about what we'd expect given the state context. The cities in this ranking significantly outperform those benchmarks. That's not something you see often in the data.
In plain English: Bottom line: Albuquerque, NM leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. And most of the time, 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: Albuquerque, NM — cost index 99, rent $1,457/mo, income $65,604
2 of 2 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
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AlbuquerqueNM | 99 | $1,457 | Details |
| 2 | KansasMO | 94 | $1,418 | Details |
560,274 residents · New Mexico
Dive into Albuquerque's numbers: cost index 99 (13 points below national average), rent $1,457/month, income $65,604, and a home price of $338,329. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 91, while Healthcare runs 102. As a major city with 560,274 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
510,704 residents · Missouri
Look, Why Kansas ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 94 on the cost index, residents save roughly 18% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,418/month — for better or worse — while the median household pulls in $67,449/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 85, though Healthcare (97) lags behind. Home prices average $245,199 — $222,171 below the national median.
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.
Albuquerque (ranked #1) has a cost index of 99 and rent of $1,457/mo, while Kansas (ranked #2) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,418/mo — a 5-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 Albuquerque is $1,457/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $438 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Albuquerque is $338,329, which is 5.2× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
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.