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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
In plain English: the numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Austin stands out at 89 on the index, with rent of $1,531/month and household income of $91,461. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
In plain English: the numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Austin stands out at 89 on the index, with rent of $1,531/month and household income of $91,461. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
Austin is one of the cheaper options here. Rent is $1,531/month — we had to double-check this one — , which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 89. Income sits at $91,461. You get the picture.
Now apply that to an actual budget: Nationally, the 288 cities in our database average a cost index of 111 — not a number you see very often, by the way — , rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. And in practical terms, the cities in this ranking significantly outperform those benchmarks. If you're a planner, this number should anchor your spreadsheet.
Bottom line: Austin, TX 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: Austin, TX — cost index 89, rent $1,531/mo, income $91,461
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 | AustinTX | 89 | $1,531 | Details |
| 2 | IndianapolisIN | 79 | $1,356 | Details |
979,882 residents · Texas
Why Austin ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 89 on the cost index, residents save roughly 22% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,531/month while the median household pulls in $91,461/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 89, though Healthcare (98) lags behind. Home prices average $500,627 — $33,257 above the national median.
879,293 residents · Indiana
Here's Indianapolis by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). And broadly, cost index: 79. Rent: $1,356/month. Income: $62,995/year. Home price: $226,528. Population: 879,293. The strongest category is Housing at 79; the most expensive is Healthcare at 96. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $6,468 per year vs. the national median. On a fixed income, this is the metric that matters most.
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.
Austin (ranked #1) has a cost index of 89 and rent of $1,531/mo, while Indianapolis (ranked #2) has a cost index of 79 and rent of $1,356/mo — a 10-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 Austin is $1,531/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $364 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Austin is $500,627, which is 5.5× 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.