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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
These cities are a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. And roughly speaking, dallas leads at an index of 93 with rent at just $1,591/month — 16% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data upd…
These cities are a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. And roughly speaking, dallas leads at an index of 93 with rent at just $1,591/month — 16% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
Dive into Dallas's numbers: cost index 93 (18 points below national average), rent $1,591/month, income $67,760, and a home price of $305,523. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 93, while Healthcare runs 99. As a major city with 1,302,868 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
It checks most boxes — but the healthcare costs are the asterisk. In Dallas, the healthcare index sits at 99 — not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing about.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
#1 Ranked: Dallas, TX — cost index 93, rent $1,591/mo, income $67,760
2 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 | DallasTX | 93 | $1,591 | Details |
| 2 | JacksonvilleFL | 92 | $1,576 | Details |
1,302,868 residents · Texas
The #1 spot goes to Dallas, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,591/month — saving renters $3,648 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 93, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 99. A 28% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
985,843 residents · Florida
Dive into Jacksonville's numbers: cost index 92 (19 points below national average), rent $1,576/month, income $66,981, and a home price of $282,367. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 92, while Healthcare runs 98. As a major city with 985,843 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.
Dallas (ranked #1) has a cost index of 93 and rent of $1,591/mo, while Jacksonville (ranked #2) has a cost index of 92 and rent of $1,576/mo — a 1-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 Dallas is $1,591/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $304 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Dallas is $305,523, which is 4.5× 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.