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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. New York City proves it with a cost index of 156, 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. New York City proves it with a cost index of 156, and we've ranked all 2 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expensive landscape.
One more thing before the rankings — this context changes everything: 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 (though the trend is moving in the right direction).
Here's New York City by the numbers — and there's a lot to like. And from what we can tell, cost index: 156. Rent: $3,706/month. Income: $79,713/year. Home price: $812,534. Population: 8,258,035. The strongest category is Utilities at 144; the most expensive is Housing at 241. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are costing renters $21,732 more per year vs. the national median. The data here speaks for itself.
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 for the typical household, new York City (index 156, rent $3,706); Raleigh (index 105, rent $1,567). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Still, the overall picture holds: Nationally, the 288 cities in our database average a cost index of 112 — make of that what you will — , rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. The cities in this ranking challenge those benchmarks. The data here speaks for itself.
Bottom line: New York City, NY 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: 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 | RaleighNC | 105 | $1,567 | Details |
8,258,035 residents · New York
What does daily life actually cost in New York City? Start with the 56% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. On the category level, Utilities (index 144) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 241) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $79,713 — we had to double-check this one — and homes at $812,534 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
482,295 residents · North Carolina
A closer look at Raleigh: the cost index of 105 breaks down to a Utilities index of 96 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 112 (weakest). Median rent is $1,567/month — 17% below the national median — while household income sits at $82,424, meaning locals spend about 23% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
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 Raleigh (ranked #2) has a cost index of 105 and rent of $1,567/mo — a 51-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.