Loading
Assembling your view…
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. That's more or less in line with the region. Denver (index 113, rent $1,818/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. That's more or less in line with the region. Denver (index 113, rent $1,818/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 2 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
So, Denver. Cost index of 113, rent at $1,818/month. It's higher than the national average. Median income is $91,681, which is above average. That's more or less in line with the region.
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. Denver (index 113 — we had to double-check this one — , rent $1,818); Omaha (index 96, rent $1,403). 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 112, rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. The cities in this ranking challenge those benchmarks. For dual-income households, this multiplies into serious savings.
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: Denver, CO — cost index 113, rent $1,818/mo, income $91,681
1 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
716,577 residents · Colorado
Denver earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 113 cost index sits 1 points above the national baseline, and the $91,681 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $530,920 — $63,550 above the national median, reflecting the metro premium. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 104, while Housing trails at 133.
483,335 residents · Nebraska
What does daily life actually cost in Omaha? Start with the 23% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Utilities (index 88) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 99) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $72,708 and homes at $288,850 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons.
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.
Denver (ranked #1) has a cost index of 113 and rent of $1,818/mo, while Omaha (ranked #2) has a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,403/mo — a 17-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 Denver is $1,818/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $77 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Denver is $530,920, which is 5.8× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. 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.