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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. Los Angeles (index 160, rent $2,742/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. Los Angeles (index 160, rent $2,742/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 2 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
The #1 spot goes to Los Angeles, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $2,742/month — costing renters $10,164 more per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Healthcare is the standout at index 112, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 160. The 41% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
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: Los Angeles, CA — cost index 160, rent $2,742/mo, income $80,366
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 | Los AngelesCA | 160 | $2,742 | Details |
| 2 | RaleighNC | 92 | $1,567 | Details |
3,820,914 residents · California
So, Los Angeles. Cost index of 160, rent at $2,742/month. It's higher than the national average. Median income is $80,366, which is below the national median. It's fine. Not great, not bad.
482,295 residents · North Carolina
Why Raleigh ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 92 on the cost index, residents save roughly 19% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,567/month while the median household pulls in $82,424/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 92, though Healthcare (98) lags behind. Home prices average $428,831 — $38,539 below the national median.
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.
Los Angeles (ranked #1) has a cost index of 160 and rent of $2,742/mo, while Raleigh (ranked #2) has a cost index of 92 and rent of $1,567/mo — a 68-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 Los Angeles is $2,742/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $847 above the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Los Angeles is $941,985, which is 11.7× 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.