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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Let's be honest: these cities aren't cheap. But within that premium market, there are cities where your dollar stretches meaningfully further. Jacksonville proves it with a cost index of 92, and we've ranked all 2 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expensive landscape.
Let's be honest: these cities aren't cheap. But within that premium market, there are cities where your dollar stretches meaningfully further. Jacksonville proves it with a cost index of 92, and we've ranked all 2 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expensive landscape.
Jacksonville is one of the cheaper options here. Rent is $1,576/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 92. Income sits at $66,981. Moving on. There's not much to say about that beyond the obvious (which, to be fair, is a metric that favors smaller cities).
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.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
#1 Ranked: Jacksonville, FL — cost index 92, rent $1,576/mo, income $66,981
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 | JacksonvilleFL | 92 | $1,576 | Details |
| 2 | BostonMA | 205 | $3,510 | Details |
985,843 residents · Florida
The way we see it, a closer look at Jacksonville: the cost index of 92 breaks down to a Housing index of 92 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 98 (weakest). No major red flags in that number. Median rent is $1,576/month — 17% below the national median — while household income sits at $66,981, meaning locals spend about 28% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
653,833 residents · Massachusetts
At $3,510/month for rent and a cost index of 205, Boston is pretty much what you'd expect from a larger city in this part of the country. That tracks. Income is $94,755. That's more or less in line with the region.
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.
Jacksonville (ranked #1) has a cost index of 92 and rent of $1,576/mo, while Boston (ranked #2) has a cost index of 205 and rent of $3,510/mo — a 113-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 Jacksonville is $1,576/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $319 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Jacksonville is $282,367, 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.