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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. Houston stands out at 90 on the index, with rent of $1,542/month and household income of $62,894. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Houston stands out at 90 on the index, with rent of $1,542/month and household income of $62,894. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
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. Houston (index 90, rent $1,542); Austin (index 89, rent $1,531). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Dive into Houston's numbers: cost index 90 (21 points below national average), rent $1,542/month, income $62,894, and a home price of $261,976. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 90, while Healthcare runs 98. As a major city with 2,314,157 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
This looks affordable — until you factor in healthcare. In Houston, the healthcare index sits at 98 — not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing about.
Straight up: Bottom line: Houston, 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: Houston, TX — cost index 90, rent $1,542/mo, income $62,894
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
2,314,157 residents · Texas
At $1,542/month for rent and a cost index of 90, Houston is pretty much what you'd expect from a larger city in this part of the country. Income is $62,894. It's fine. Not great, not bad.
979,882 residents · Texas
Austin earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And as a general rule, the 89 cost index sits 22 points below the national baseline, and the $91,461 median income means purchasing power here is genuinely above average. Homes list at $500,627 — $33,257 above the national median, reflecting the metro premium. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 89, while Healthcare trails at 98. Surprising? Maybe. But the data's clear.
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.
Houston (ranked #1) has a cost index of 90 and rent of $1,542/mo, while Austin (ranked #2) has a cost index of 89 and rent of $1,531/mo — a 1-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 Houston is $1,542/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $353 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Houston is $261,976, which is 4.2× 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.