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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
In plain English: Nobody expects rock-bottom prices here — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Jacksonville (index 92, rent $1,576/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 2 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026 (that's pre-tax, of course…
In plain English: Nobody expects rock-bottom prices here — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Jacksonville (index 92, rent $1,576/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 2 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026 (that's pre-tax, of course).
What does daily life actually cost in Jacksonville? Start with the 28% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 92) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 98) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $66,981 — whether that matters depends on your situation — and homes at $282,367 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
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. Jacksonville (index 92, rent $1,576); Sacramento (index 117, rent $2,006). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons (that's pre-tax, of course).
What makes this tricky: Nationally, the 288 cities in our database average a cost index of 111 — for better or worse — , rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. And on balance, moving on. The cities in this ranking significantly outperform those benchmarks. That's a number worth sharing with anyone who says affordable cities can't have good jobs.
Bottom line: Jacksonville, FL 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 (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
#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 | SacramentoCA | 117 | $2,006 | Details |
985,843 residents · Florida
Dive into Jacksonville's numbers: cost index 92 — this is the part where it gets real — (19 points below national average), rent $1,576/month, income $66,981, and a home price of $282,367. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 92, while Healthcare runs 98. As a major city with 985,843 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
526,384 residents · California
What does daily life actually cost in Sacramento? Start with the 29% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Healthcare (index 103) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 117) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $83,753 and homes at $472,863 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons.
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 Sacramento (ranked #2) has a cost index of 117 and rent of $2,006/mo — a 25-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.