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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The numbers are clear: 1 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. El Paso stands out at 84 on the index, with rent of $1,441/month and household income of $58,734. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
The numbers are clear: 1 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. El Paso stands out at 84 on the index, with rent of $1,441/month and household income of $58,734. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
Dive into El Paso's numbers: cost index 84 (27 points below national average), rent $1,441/month, income $58,734, and a home price of $231,886. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 84, while Healthcare runs 97. As a major city with 678,958 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
It's worth mentioning — though it's outside our data model — that cities with these economics tend to attract remote workers, which can push prices up over time.
Put differently: 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 the type of edge you don't see advertised.
Bottom line: El Paso, TX leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
#1 Ranked: El Paso, TX — cost index 84, rent $1,441/mo, income $58,734
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
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El PasoTX | 84 | $1,441 | Details |
| 2 | SacramentoCA | 117 | $2,006 | Details |
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.
526,384 residents · California
Here's Sacramento by the numbers — and there's a lot to like. Cost index: 117. Rent: $2,006/month — and yes, that's adjusted for the region — . Income: $83,753/year. Home price: $472,863. Population: 526,384. The strongest category is Healthcare at 103; the most expensive is Housing at 117. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are costing renters $1,332 more per year vs. the national median. For anyone relocating from a high-cost market, this will feel like a raise.
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 Sacramento (ranked #2) has a cost index of 117 and rent of $2,006/mo — a 33-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.