Loading
Assembling your view…
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. And for the typical household, new York at index 216 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving a desirable market.
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. And for the typical household, new York at index 216 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving a desirable market.
The #1 spot goes to New York, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $3,706/month — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — — costing renters $21,732 more per year compared to the national average. Standard stuff, really. Meanwhile, Healthcare is the standout at index 123, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 216. The 56% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
Frankly, 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 (index 216, rent $3,706); Fort Worth (index 91, rent $1,554). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons (which, to be fair, is a metric that favors smaller cities).
New York rent up 4% over the past year. Rent in #1-ranked New York 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.
Against the national baseline, though: For context: the typical American city has a cost index of 111, pays $1,895/month in rent, and earns $80,367 per household. The top-ranked cities here tell a more nuanced story — one that's worth exploring city by city.
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 (though the trend is moving in the right direction).
#1 Ranked: New York, NY — cost index 216, rent $3,706/mo, income $79,713
New York rent up 4% over the past year
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 | New YorkNY | 216 | $3,706 | Details |
| 2 | Fort WorthTX | 91 | $1,554 | Details |
8,258,035 residents · New York
Dive into New York's numbers: cost index 216 (105 points above national average), rent $3,706/month, income $79,713, and a home price of $812,534. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Healthcare is the cheapest category at 123, while Housing runs 216. As a major city with 8,258,035 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
978,468 residents · Texas
Look, the numbers for Fort Worth are straightforward: 91 on the cost index, $1,554/month rent, $76,602 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. You get the picture.
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 (ranked #1) has a cost index of 216 and rent of $3,706/mo, while Fort Worth (ranked #2) has a cost index of 91 and rent of $1,554/mo — a 125-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 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 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.