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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Let's be honest: these cities aren't cheap. But within that premium market, there are cities where your dollar stretches meaningfully further. Chicago proves it with a cost index of 134, and we've ranked all 2 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expensive landscape.
Let's be honest: these cities aren't cheap. But within that premium market, there are cities where your dollar stretches meaningfully further. Chicago proves it with a cost index of 134, and we've ranked all 2 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expensive landscape.
The #1 spot goes to Chicago, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $2,292/month — costing renters $4,764 more per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Healthcare is the standout at index 107, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 134. The 37% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
Put differently: Nationally, the 288 cities in our database average a cost index of 111, rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. The cities in this ranking challenge those benchmarks. If you've ever felt priced out, the numbers here offer a different path.
Bottom line: Chicago, IL 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. An outlier in the best sense.
#1 Ranked: Chicago, IL — cost index 134, rent $2,292/mo, income $75,134
Chicago rent up 5% over the past year
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 | ChicagoIL | 134 | $2,292 | Details |
| 2 | BaltimoreMD | 100 | $1,708 | Details |
2,664,452 residents · Illinois
Dive into Chicago's numbers: cost index 134 — for better or worse — (23 points above national average), rent $2,292/month, income $75,134, and a home price of $312,457. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Healthcare is the cheapest category at 107, while Housing runs 134. As a major city with 2,664,452 residents, amenities and job markets are robust (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
565,239 residents · Maryland
The #2 spot goes to Baltimore, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,708/month — worth pausing on — — saving renters $2,244 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Healthcare is the standout at index 100, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 100. The 34% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended (more on that below).
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.
Chicago (ranked #1) has a cost index of 134 and rent of $2,292/mo, while Baltimore (ranked #2) has a cost index of 100 and rent of $1,708/mo — a 34-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 Chicago is $2,292/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $397 above the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Chicago is $312,457, which is 4.2× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. 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.