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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 112. Houston stands out at 97 on the index, with rent of $1,542/month and household income of $62,894. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data. Not flashy. Just effective.
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Houston stands out at 97 on the index, with rent of $1,542/month and household income of $62,894. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data. Not flashy. Just effective.
Here's Houston by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 97. Rent: $1,542/month. Income: $62,894/year. Home price: $261,976. Population: 2,314,157. The strongest category is Utilities at 89; the most expensive is Healthcare at 100. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $4,236 per year vs. the national median. That's a margin of safety most budgets don't have.
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 97, rent $1,542); Oklahoma City (index 89, rent $1,255). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
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 97, rent $1,542/mo, income $62,894
2 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
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HoustonTX | 97 | $1,542 | Details |
| 2 | Oklahoma CityOK | 89 | $1,255 | Details |
2,314,157 residents · Texas
Dive into Houston's numbers: cost index 97 (15 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 — Utilities is the cheapest category at 89, while Healthcare runs 100. As a major city with 2,314,157 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
702,767 residents · Oklahoma
Dive into Oklahoma City's numbers: cost index 89 (23 points below national average), rent $1,255/month, income $66,702, and a home price of $203,329. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 73, while Healthcare runs 92. As a major city with 702,767 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
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 97 and rent of $1,542/mo, while Oklahoma City (ranked #2) has a cost index of 89 and rent of $1,255/mo — a 8-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.