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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Dollar for dollar, these cities represent some of the best deals in America. 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 112 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — . Leading the pack: Columbus at index 94, where median rent of $1,415/month saves renters $5,760/year versus the…
Dollar for dollar, these cities represent some of the best deals in America. 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 112 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — . Leading the pack: Columbus at index 94, where median rent of $1,415/month saves renters $5,760/year versus the national median (that's pre-tax, of course).
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. Columbus (index 94, rent $1,415); Nashville (index 108, rent $1,772). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
The #1 spot goes to Columbus, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,415/month — we had to double-check this one — — saving renters $5,760 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 84, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 96. A 26% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours.
#1 Ranked: Columbus, OH — cost index 94, rent $1,415/mo, income $65,327
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
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ColumbusOH | 94 | $1,415 | Details |
| 2 | NashvilleTN | 108 | $1,772 | Details |
913,175 residents · Ohio
Why Columbus ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 94 on the cost index, residents save roughly 18% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,415/month — for better or worse — while the median household pulls in $65,327/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 84, though Healthcare (96) lags behind. Home prices average $243,005 — $224,365 below the national median.
687,788 residents · Tennessee
Here's Nashville by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 108. Rent: $1,772/month. Income: $75,197/year. Home price: $429,861. Population: 687,788. The strongest category is Utilities at 99; the most expensive is Housing at 120. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $1,476 per year vs. the national median. That ratio is hard to beat anywhere else (that's pre-tax, of course). That's not nothing.
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.
Columbus (ranked #1) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,415/mo, while Nashville (ranked #2) has a cost index of 108 and rent of $1,772/mo — a 14-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 Columbus is $1,415/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $480 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Columbus is $243,005, which is 3.7× 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.