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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. Las Vegas proves it with a cost index of 99, 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. Las Vegas proves it with a cost index of 99, and we've ranked all 2 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expensive landscape.
Las Vegas comes in at #1. Rent is $1,695 a month. Household income is $70,723. The cost of living index is 99. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is.
In plain English: 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. And on balance, las Vegas (index 99, rent $1,695); 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.
But the numbers also reveal: Nationally, the 288 cities in our database average a cost index of 111, rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. And as a general rule, the cities in this ranking significantly outperform those benchmarks. That's not something you see often in the data.
Bottom line: Las Vegas, NV 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: Las Vegas, NV — cost index 99, rent $1,695/mo, income $70,723
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 | Las VegasNV | 99 | $1,695 | Details |
| 2 | SacramentoCA | 117 | $2,006 | Details |
660,929 residents · Nevada
No sugarcoating: the #1 spot goes to Las Vegas, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,695/month — 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 (which, to be fair, is a metric that favors smaller cities).
526,384 residents · California
Sacramento comes in at #2. And broadly, rent is $2,006 a month. Household income is $83,753. The cost of living index is 117. That tracks.
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 Sacramento (ranked #2) has a cost index of 117 and rent of $2,006/mo — a 18-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.