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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
To be honest, these cities are a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Oklahoma leads at an index of 73 — we had to double-check this one — with rent at just $1,255/month — 34% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers…
To be honest, these cities are a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Oklahoma leads at an index of 73 — we had to double-check this one — with rent at just $1,255/month — 34% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated 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. Oklahoma (index 73, rent $1,255); Albuquerque (index 85, rent $1,457). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons (that's pre-tax, of course).
The #1 spot goes to Oklahoma, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,255/month — saving renters $7,680 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 73, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 95. At a 23% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget. There's an argument to be made — and I think the data supports it — that the cities getting all the attention right now are exactly the wrong places to move. The spotlight drives migration, migration drives demand, demand drives costs, and eventually the value proposition disappears. That's more or less in line with the region. Meanwhile, cities like this one keep quietly being affordable, and the people who find them early are the ones who benefit most (a figure that keeps climbing, by the way).
It checks most boxes — but the healthcare costs are the asterisk. And in most cases, in Oklahoma, the healthcare index sits at 95 — not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing about (that's pre-tax, of course).
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: Oklahoma, OK — cost index 73, rent $1,255/mo, income $66,702
2 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 | OklahomaOK | 73 | $1,255 | Details |
| 2 | AlbuquerqueNM | 85 | $1,457 | Details |
702,767 residents · Oklahoma
Dive into Oklahoma's numbers: cost index 73 (38 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 95. As a major city with 702,767 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
560,274 residents · New Mexico
In plain English: Dive into Albuquerque's numbers: cost index 85 (26 points below national average), rent $1,457/month, income $65,604, and a home price of $338,329. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 85, while Healthcare runs 97. As a major city with 560,274 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
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 (ranked #1) has a cost index of 73 and rent of $1,255/mo, while Albuquerque (ranked #2) has a cost index of 85 and rent of $1,457/mo — a 12-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 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 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.