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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
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 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.
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 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.
A closer look at Oklahoma: the cost index of 73 breaks down to a Housing index of 73 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 95 (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.
In plain English: before celebrating, check the next metric: Nationally, the 288 cities in our database average a cost index of 111, rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. The cities in this ranking significantly outperform those benchmarks. That's a red flag worth investigating further.
In plain English: 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 | MesaAZ | 91 | $1,554 | Details |
702,767 residents · Oklahoma
Frankly, 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.
511,648 residents · Arizona
The numbers for Mesa are straightforward: 91 on the cost index, $1,554/month rent, $78,779 income. And depending on your situation, not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. That's more or less in line with the region.
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 Mesa (ranked #2) has a cost index of 91 and rent of $1,554/mo — a 18-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.