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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
These cities are a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Baltimore leads at an index of 96 — we had to double-check this one — with rent at just $1,708/month — 10% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced fro…
These cities are a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Baltimore leads at an index of 96 — we had to double-check this one — with rent at just $1,708/month — 10% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
Baltimore comes in at #1. Rent is $1,708 a month. Household income is $59,623. The cost of living index is 96. That's about what we'd expect given the state context.
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. 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.
#1 Ranked: Baltimore, MD — cost index 96, rent $1,708/mo, income $59,623
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 | BaltimoreMD | 96 | $1,708 | Details |
| 2 | MesaAZ | 105 | $1,554 | Details |
565,239 residents · Maryland
So, Baltimore. Cost index of 96, rent at $1,708/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $59,623, which is below the national median. About what you'd guess (we double-checked this one).
511,648 residents · Arizona
The #2 spot goes to Mesa, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,554/month — saving renters $4,092 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 96, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 112. At a 24% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
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.
Baltimore (ranked #1) has a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,708/mo, while Mesa (ranked #2) has a cost index of 105 and rent of $1,554/mo — a 9-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 Baltimore is $1,708/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $187 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Baltimore is $187,545, which is 3.1× the local median income. That's within the standard 3.5× affordability rule for most local earners. 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.