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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Dollar for dollar, these cities represent some of the best deals in America. 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Oklahoma at index 73, where median rent of $1,255/month saves renters $7,680/year versus the national median.
Dollar for dollar, these cities represent some of the best deals in America. 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Oklahoma at index 73, where median rent of $1,255/month saves renters $7,680/year versus the national median.
At $1,255/month for rent and a cost index of 73, Oklahoma is pretty much what you'd expect from a larger city in this part of the country. And from what we can tell, income is $66,702. That's about what we'd expect given the state context.
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); Atlanta (index 110, rent $1,888). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
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, 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 | AtlantaGA | 110 | $1,888 | Details |
702,767 residents · Oklahoma
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.
510,823 residents · Georgia
Dive into Atlanta's numbers: cost index 110 (1 points below national average), rent $1,888/month, income $81,938, and a home price of $381,549. And roughly speaking, the city's cost profile isn't flat — Healthcare is the cheapest category at 102, while Housing runs 110. As a major city with 510,823 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 Atlanta (ranked #2) has a cost index of 110 and rent of $1,888/mo — a 37-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.