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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Look, Nobody expects rock-bottom prices here — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Chicago (index 134, rent $2,292/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 2 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026 (and that gap widens if you factor in stat…
Look, Nobody expects rock-bottom prices here — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Chicago (index 134, rent $2,292/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 2 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026 (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
What does daily life actually cost in Chicago? Start with the 37% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. On the category level, Healthcare (index 107) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 134) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $75,134 and homes at $312,457 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
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 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 | Las VegasNV | 99 | $1,695 | Details |
2,664,452 residents · Illinois
Why Chicago ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 134 on the cost index, residents spend roughly 23% more than the typical American. Rent sits at $2,292/month while the median household pulls in $75,134/year. The Healthcare category is particularly strong at 107, though Housing (134) lags behind. Home prices average $312,457 — $154,913 below the national median.
660,929 residents · Nevada
Dive into Las Vegas's numbers: cost index 99 (12 points below national average), rent $1,695/month, income $70,723, and a home price of $422,842. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 99, while Healthcare runs 100. As a major city with 660,929 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
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 Las Vegas (ranked #2) has a cost index of 99 and rent of $1,695/mo — a 35-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.