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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 111 — we had to double-check this one — , and we've ranked all 2 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expen…
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 111 — we had to double-check this one — , and we've ranked all 2 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expensive landscape.
Full transparency here: If there's one takeaway from this page, it's this: 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.
Here's Chicago by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 111. Rent: $2,292/month. Income: $75,134/year. Home price: $312,457. Population: 2,664,452. The strongest category is Utilities at 102; the most expensive is Housing at 127. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are costing renters $4,764 more per year vs. the national median. If you're a planner, this number should anchor your spreadsheet.
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 roughly speaking, chicago (index 111, rent $2,292); Kansas (index 94, rent $1,418). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Put it this way: Balance that against the cost side: Nationally, the 288 cities in our database average a cost index of 112, rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. The cities in this ranking significantly outperform those benchmarks. That's a strong position by any measure.
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.
#1 Ranked: Chicago, IL — cost index 111, rent $2,292/mo, income $75,134
Chicago rent up 5% over the past year
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
2,664,452 residents · Illinois
In plain English: at $2,292/month for rent and a cost index of 111, Chicago is pretty much what you'd expect from a larger city in this part of the country. Income is $75,134. That's about what we'd expect given the state context (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
510,704 residents · Missouri
Why Kansas ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 94 on the cost index, residents save roughly 18% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,418/month while the median household pulls in $67,449/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 85, though Healthcare (97) lags behind. Home prices average $245,199 — $222,171 below the national median.
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 111 and rent of $2,292/mo, while Kansas (ranked #2) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,418/mo — a 17-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.