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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 111. Leading the pack: El Paso at index 84, where median rent of $1,441/month saves renters $5,448/year versus the national median.
Dollar for dollar, these cities represent some of the best deals in America. 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: El Paso at index 84, where median rent of $1,441/month saves renters $5,448/year versus the national median.
A closer look at El Paso: the cost index of 84 breaks down to a Housing index of 84 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 97 (weakest). Median rent is $1,441/month — 24% below the national median — while household income sits at $58,734, meaning locals spend about 29% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
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. El Paso (index 84, rent $1,441); Omaha (index 82, rent $1,403). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Factor in the cost side, though, and the picture shifts. For context: the typical American city has a cost index of 111, pays $1,895/month in rent, and earns $80,367 per household. The top-ranked cities here tell a dramatically different story — one that's worth exploring city by city.
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: El Paso, TX — cost index 84, rent $1,441/mo, income $58,734
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
678,958 residents · Texas
The #1 spot goes to El Paso, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,441/month — saving renters $5,448 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 97. A 29% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
483,335 residents · Nebraska
A closer look at Omaha: the cost index of 82 breaks down to a Housing index of 82 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 96 (weakest). Median rent is $1,403/month — 26% below the national median — while household income sits at $72,708, meaning locals spend about 23% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
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.
El Paso (ranked #1) has a cost index of 84 and rent of $1,441/mo, while Omaha (ranked #2) has a cost index of 82 and rent of $1,403/mo — a 2-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 El Paso is $1,441/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $454 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in El Paso is $231,886, which is 3.9× 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.