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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices here — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Dallas (index 93 — for better or worse — , rent $1,591/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 2 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices here — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Dallas (index 93 — for better or worse — , rent $1,591/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 2 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
Dallas earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 93 cost index sits 18 points below the national baseline, and the $67,760 — for better or worse — median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $305,523 — $161,847 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 93, while Healthcare trails at 99 (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. And for many people, dallas (index 93, rent $1,591); Seattle (index 128, rent $2,187). 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 state-level view adds helpful context here. 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. This is worth factoring into any relocation decision (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.
#1 Ranked: Dallas, TX — cost index 93, rent $1,591/mo, income $67,760
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
1,302,868 residents · Texas
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. 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. At this level, the city practically pays for your move.
755,078 residents · Washington
Look, Seattle earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 128 cost index sits 17 points above the national baseline, and the $121,984 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. That alone makes it worth considering. Homes list at $848,869 — $381,499 above the national median, reflecting the metro premium. On the cost side, Healthcare leads the way at 106, while Housing trails at 128.
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 Seattle (ranked #2) has a cost index of 128 and rent of $2,187/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 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.