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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. Memphis (index 72, rent $1,234/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. Memphis (index 72, rent $1,234/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 2 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
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. Memphis (index 72, rent $1,234); Miami (index 173, rent $2,964). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
The numbers for Memphis are straightforward: 72 on the cost index, $1,234/month rent, $51,211 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. That's about what we'd expect given the state context.
Bottom line: Memphis, TN 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. If you've been scrolling through listings in high-cost metros and feeling defeated, look at these numbers again. Seriously. The difference between renting here and renting in a major coastal city could literally fund a retirement account. That's not hyperbole — run the math yourself. A thousand dollars a month saved, compounded over a decade, is a down payment on a house. In this city, that math actually works.
#1 Ranked: Memphis, TN — cost index 72, rent $1,234/mo, income $51,211
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
618,639 residents · Tennessee
Memphis comes in at #1. Rent is $1,234 a month. Household income is $51,211. The cost of living index is 72. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is (that's pre-tax, of course).
455,924 residents · Florida
What does daily life actually cost in Miami? Start with the 60% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. On the category level, Healthcare (index 115) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 173) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $59,390 and homes at $573,963 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.
Memphis (ranked #1) has a cost index of 72 and rent of $1,234/mo, while Miami (ranked #2) has a cost index of 173 and rent of $2,964/mo — a 101-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 Memphis is $1,234/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $661 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Memphis is $142,870, which is 2.8× the local median income. That's within the standard 3.5× affordability rule for most local earners. 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.