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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Chicago rent up 5% over the past year. Rent in #1-ranked Chicago has increased from $2,179 to $2,292/mo over the past 12 months — a 5% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time.
Chicago rent up 5% over the past year. Rent in #1-ranked Chicago has increased from $2,179 to $2,292/mo over the past 12 months — a 5% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time.
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.
Chicago is one of the cheaper options here. Rent is $2,292/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 134. Income sits at $75,134. That's a reasonable number.
(Tangentially — this is the kind of city where you can actually build equity on a median salary, which is increasingly rare.)
What makes this tricky: 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. That level of affordability is getting rarer every year.
Bottom line: Chicago, IL leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. And in practical terms, 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. There's an argument to be made — and I think the data supports it — that the cities getting all the attention right now are exactly the wrong places to move. The spotlight drives migration, migration drives demand, demand drives costs, and eventually the value proposition disappears. Meanwhile, cities like this one keep quietly being affordable, and the people who find them early are the ones who benefit most.
#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 | JacksonvilleFL | 92 | $1,576 | Details |
2,664,452 residents · Illinois
Chicago earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 134 cost index sits 23 points above the national baseline, and the $75,134 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $312,457 — $154,913 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Healthcare leads the way at 107, while Housing trails at 134 (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
985,843 residents · Florida
What does daily life actually cost in Jacksonville? Start with the 28% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 92) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 98) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $66,981 and homes at $282,367 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons.
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 Jacksonville (ranked #2) has a cost index of 92 and rent of $1,576/mo — a 42-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.