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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
In plain English: Let's be honest: these cities aren't cheap. That's about what we'd expect given the state context. But within that premium market, there are cities where your dollar stretches meaningfully further. Boston proves it with a cost index of 205, and we've ranked all 2 contenders to help…
In plain English: Let's be honest: these cities aren't cheap. That's about what we'd expect given the state context. But within that premium market, there are cities where your dollar stretches meaningfully further. Boston proves it with a cost index of 205, and we've ranked all 2 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expensive landscape.
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. And for the typical household, boston (index 205 — a detail that tends to get overlooked — , rent $3,510); Milwaukee (index 82, rent $1,398). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Why Boston ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. And as a general rule, at 205 on the cost index, residents spend roughly 94% more than the typical American. Rent sits at $3,510/month while the median household pulls in $94,755/year. The Healthcare category is particularly strong at 121, though Housing (205) lags behind. Home prices average $768,702 — $301,332 above the national median.
Bottom line: Boston, MA 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: Boston, MA — cost index 205, rent $3,510/mo, income $94,755
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 | BostonMA | 205 | $3,510 | Details |
| 2 | MilwaukeeWI | 82 | $1,398 | Details |
653,833 residents · Massachusetts
At $3,510/month for rent and a cost index of 205, Boston is pretty much what you'd expect from a larger city in this part of the country. Income is $94,755. Standard stuff, really.
561,385 residents · Wisconsin
At $1,398/month for rent and a cost index of 82, Milwaukee is pretty much what you'd expect from a larger city in this part of the country. Nothing too surprising there. Income is $51,888. About what you'd guess (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.
Boston (ranked #1) has a cost index of 205 and rent of $3,510/mo, while Milwaukee (ranked #2) has a cost index of 82 and rent of $1,398/mo — a 123-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 Boston is $3,510/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $1,615 above the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Boston is $768,702, which is 8.1× 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.