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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Premium market, smart picks: while the market trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. Las Vegas at index 99 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leavi…
Premium market, smart picks: while the market trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. Las Vegas at index 99 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving a desirable market.
Look, at $1,695/month — we had to double-check this one — for rent and a cost index of 99, Las Vegas is pretty much what you'd expect from a larger city in this part of the country. Income is $70,723. That alone makes it worth considering.
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. Las Vegas (index 99, rent $1,695); Atlanta (index 110, rent $1,888). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
The trade-off becomes clearer when you add healthcare into the mix. Nationally, the 288 cities in our database average a cost index of 111, rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. The cities in this ranking significantly outperform those benchmarks. If you plug these numbers into any cost calculator, they hold up.
Rankings quantify the landscape. 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.
#1 Ranked: Las Vegas, NV — cost index 99, rent $1,695/mo, income $70,723
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
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las VegasNV | 99 | $1,695 | Details |
| 2 | AtlantaGA | 110 | $1,888 | Details |
660,929 residents · Nevada
The #1 spot goes to Las Vegas, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,695/month — we had to double-check this one — — saving renters $2,400 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 99, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 100. A 29% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
510,823 residents · Georgia
The #2 spot goes to Atlanta, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,888/month — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — — saving renters $84 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Healthcare is the standout at index 102, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 110. A 28% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
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.
Las Vegas (ranked #1) has a cost index of 99 and rent of $1,695/mo, while Atlanta (ranked #2) has a cost index of 110 and rent of $1,888/mo — a 11-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 Las Vegas is $1,695/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $200 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Las Vegas is $422,842, which is 6.0× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. 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.