Loading
Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Albuquerque stands out at 85 on the index, with rent of $1,457/month and household income of $65,604. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Albuquerque stands out at 85 on the index, with rent of $1,457/month and household income of $65,604. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
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 85, rent $1,457); Mesa (index 91, rent $1,554). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Why Albuquerque ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 85 on the cost index, residents save roughly 26% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,457/month while the median household pulls in $65,604/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 85, though Healthcare (97) lags behind. Home prices average $338,329 — $129,041 below the national median.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
#1 Ranked: Albuquerque, NM — cost index 85, rent $1,457/mo, income $65,604
2 of 2 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AlbuquerqueNM | 85 | $1,457 | Details |
| 2 | MesaAZ | 91 | $1,554 | Details |
560,274 residents · New Mexico
Albuquerque earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And for many people, the 85 cost index sits 26 points below the national baseline, and the $65,604 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $338,329 — $129,041 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 85, while Healthcare trails at 97.
511,648 residents · Arizona
Real talk: Mesa earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 91 cost index sits 20 points below the national baseline, and the $78,779 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $432,764 — $34,606 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 91, while Healthcare trails at 98.
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 85 and rent of $1,457/mo, while Mesa (ranked #2) has a cost index of 91 and rent of $1,554/mo — a 6-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.