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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. New York City at index 156 — whether that matters depends on your situation — is the standout — offering meaningful savings without le…
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. New York City at index 156 — whether that matters depends on your situation — is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving a desirable market.
A closer look at New York City: the cost index of 156 — we had to double-check this one — breaks down to a Utilities index of 144 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 241 (weakest). Median rent is $3,706/month — 96% above the national median — while household income sits at $79,713, meaning locals spend about 56% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median.
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. New York City (index 156, rent $3,706); Atlanta (index 108, rent $1,888). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Read this before you sign a lease anywhere: New York City rent up 4% over the past year. Rent in #1-ranked New York City has increased from $3,558 to $3,706/mo over the past 12 months — a 4% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time. This combination is rare — and valuable.
Perhaps more importantly, Nationally, the 288 cities in our database average a cost index of 112, rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. The cities in this ranking challenge those benchmarks. That's a meaningful edge in practice.
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: New York City, NY — cost index 156, rent $3,706/mo, income $79,713
New York City rent up 4% over the past year
1 of 2 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York CityNY | 156 | $3,706 | Details |
| 2 | AtlantaGA | 108 | $1,888 | Details |
8,258,035 residents · New York
New York City earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 156 cost index sits 44 points above the national baseline, and the $79,713 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $812,534 — $345,164 above the national median, reflecting the metro premium. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 144, while Housing trails at 241 (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
510,823 residents · Georgia
A closer look at Atlanta: the cost index of 108 — we had to double-check this one — breaks down to a Utilities index of 99 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 119 (weakest). Median rent is $1,888/month — 0% above the national median — while household income sits at $81,938, meaning locals spend about 28% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
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.
New York City (ranked #1) has a cost index of 156 and rent of $3,706/mo, while Atlanta (ranked #2) has a cost index of 108 and rent of $1,888/mo — a 48-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 New York City is $3,706/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $1,811 above the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in New York City is $812,534, which is 10.2× 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.