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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Let's be honest: these cities aren't cheap. But within that premium market, there are cities where your dollar stretches meaningfully further. Oklahoma proves it with a cost index of 73, and we've ranked all 2 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expensive landscape (and that gap widens i…
Let's be honest: these cities aren't cheap. But within that premium market, there are cities where your dollar stretches meaningfully further. Oklahoma proves it with a cost index of 73, and we've ranked all 2 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expensive landscape (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
The #1 spot goes to Oklahoma, and the breakdown explains why. And for many people, renters here pay $1,255/month — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — — 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.
Real talk: Balance that against the cost side: Nationally, the 288 cities in our database average a cost index of 111 — we had to double-check this one — , rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. The cities in this ranking significantly outperform those benchmarks. That's an underrated factor in the decision.
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 (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
#1 Ranked: Oklahoma, OK — cost index 73, rent $1,255/mo, income $66,702
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 | OklahomaOK | 73 | $1,255 | Details |
| 2 | MiamiFL | 173 | $2,964 | Details |
702,767 residents · Oklahoma
At $1,255/month — make of that what you will — 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. Income is $66,702. That's about what we'd expect given the state context.
455,924 residents · Florida
In plain English: What does daily life actually cost in Miami? Start with the 60% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. On the category level, Healthcare (index 115) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 173) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $59,390 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — and homes at $573,963 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 (ranked #1) has a cost index of 73 and rent of $1,255/mo, while Miami (ranked #2) has a cost index of 173 and rent of $2,964/mo — a 100-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.