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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. And as far as the data shows, oklahoma City stands out at 89 on the index, with rent of $1,255/month and household income of $66,702. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. And as far as the data shows, oklahoma City stands out at 89 on the index, with rent of $1,255/month and household income of $66,702. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
A closer look at Oklahoma City: the cost index of 89 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — breaks down to a Housing index of 73 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 92 (weakest). Median rent is $1,255/month — 34% below the national median — while household income sits at $66,702, meaning locals spend about 23% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard. Not flashy. Just effective.
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. Oklahoma City (index 89, rent $1,255); Louisville (index 94, rent $1,352). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
There's more to the story, though. For context: the typical American city has a cost index of 112 — whether that matters depends on your situation — , pays $1,895/month in rent, and earns $80,367 per household. The top-ranked cities here tell a dramatically different story — one that's worth exploring city by city.
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours.
#1 Ranked: Oklahoma City, OK — cost index 89, rent $1,255/mo, income $66,702
2 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 | Oklahoma CityOK | 89 | $1,255 | Details |
| 2 | LouisvilleKY | 94 | $1,352 | Details |
702,767 residents · Oklahoma
Dive into Oklahoma City's numbers: cost index 89 (23 points below national average), rent $1,255/month, income $66,702, and a home price of $203,329. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 73, while Healthcare runs 92. As a major city with 702,767 residents, amenities and job markets are robust (more on that below).
622,981 residents · Kentucky
What does daily life actually cost in Louisville? Start with the 25% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 84) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 96) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $64,731 and homes at $259,139 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.
Oklahoma City (ranked #1) has a cost index of 89 and rent of $1,255/mo, while Louisville (ranked #2) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,352/mo — a 5-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 Oklahoma City is $1,255/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $640 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Oklahoma City is $203,329, which is 3.0× 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.