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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices here — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. And depending on your situation, that's about what we'd expect given the state context. Albuquerque (index 85, rent $1,457/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 2 cities to f…
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices here — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. And depending on your situation, that's about what we'd expect given the state context. Albuquerque (index 85, rent $1,457/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 2 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
A closer look at Albuquerque: the cost index of 85 breaks down to a Housing index of 85 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 97 (weakest). Median rent is $1,457/month — 23% below the national median — while household income sits at $65,604, meaning locals spend about 27% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
The broader context shifts things: For context: the typical American city has a cost index of 111, pays $1,895/month in rent, and earns $80,367 per household. The top-ranked cities here tell a dramatically different story — one that's worth exploring city by city.
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
1 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 | MiamiFL | 173 | $2,964 | Details |
560,274 residents · New Mexico
Albuquerque is one of the cheaper options here. Rent is $1,457/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 85. Income sits at $65,604. That's about what we'd expect given the state context.
455,924 residents · Florida
Miami earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 173 cost index sits 62 points above the national baseline, and the $59,390 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $573,963 — $106,593 above the national median, reflecting the local market dynamics. On the cost side, Healthcare leads the way at 115, while Housing trails at 173.
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 Miami (ranked #2) has a cost index of 173 and rent of $2,964/mo — a 88-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.