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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. Indianapolis (index 79, rent $1,356/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. Indianapolis (index 79, rent $1,356/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 2 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
Indianapolis comes in at #1. Rent is $1,356 a month. Household income is $62,995. The cost of living index is 79. Pretty standard for this type of city.
What you won't find on most comparison sites: Across our full 288-city database, the benchmarks are: cost index 111, rent $1,895/month, income $80,367. That alone makes it worth considering. Every city in the top 5 here beats those numbers. Look at what happens when you add healthcare costs (that's pre-tax, of course).
Rankings quantify the landscape. And as a general rule, but the decision to move is personal. Use the spotlights above to zero in on 2-3 finalists, then run your actual salary through the calculator. The question isn't just "where is it cheapest?" — it's "where does my specific income buy the life I want?" Start here. Dig deeper on the linked city pages. Quietly competitive.
#1 Ranked: Indianapolis, IN — cost index 79, rent $1,356/mo, income $62,995
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 | IndianapolisIN | 79 | $1,356 | Details |
| 2 | WashingtonDC | 140 | $2,406 | Details |
879,293 residents · Indiana
So, Indianapolis. Cost index of 79 — we had to double-check this one — , rent at $1,356/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $62,995, which is below the national median. That alone makes it worth considering.
678,972 residents · District of Columbia
Here's Washington by the numbers — and there's a lot to like. Cost index: 140. Rent: $2,406/month. Income: $106,287/year. Home price: $574,016. Population: 678,972. The strongest category is Healthcare at 108; the most expensive is Housing at 140. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are costing renters $6,132 more per year vs. the national median. If you plug these numbers into any cost calculator, they hold up.
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.
Indianapolis (ranked #1) has a cost index of 79 and rent of $1,356/mo, while Washington (ranked #2) has a cost index of 140 and rent of $2,406/mo — a 61-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 Indianapolis is $1,356/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $539 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Indianapolis is $226,528, which is 3.6× 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.