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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. And for the typical household, dallas stands out at 93 on the index, with rent of $1,591/month — though some people might weigh that differently — and household income of $67,760. Fairly typical for a city this …
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. And for the typical household, dallas stands out at 93 on the index, with rent of $1,591/month — though some people might weigh that differently — and household income of $67,760. Fairly typical for a city this size. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
Here's Dallas by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 93. Rent: $1,591/month — we had to double-check this one — . Income: $67,760/year. Home price: $305,523. Population: 1,302,868. The strongest category is Housing at 93; the most expensive is Healthcare at 99. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $3,648 per year vs. the national median. That could be a concern depending on your priorities.
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 generally speaking, dallas (index 93, rent $1,591); Oklahoma (index 73, rent $1,255). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
And here's the trade-off: 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 significantly outperform those benchmarks. If you're a planner, this number should anchor your spreadsheet (that's pre-tax, of course).
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 (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
#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 | OklahomaOK | 73 | $1,255 | Details |
1,302,868 residents · Texas
Dallas is one of the cheaper options here. And more often than not, rent is $1,591/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 93. Income sits at $67,760. You get the picture (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
702,767 residents · Oklahoma
Real talk: Dive into Oklahoma's numbers: cost index 73 (38 points below national average), rent $1,255/month, income $66,702, and a home price of $203,329. And generally speaking, the city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 73, while Healthcare runs 95. As a major city with 702,767 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 Oklahoma (ranked #2) has a cost index of 73 and rent of $1,255/mo — a 20-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.