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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: Philadelphia at index 101, where median rent of $1,734/month saves renters $1,932/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: Philadelphia at index 101, where median rent of $1,734/month saves renters $1,932/year versus the national median.
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. Philadelphia (index 101, rent $1,734); Austin (index 89, rent $1,531). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Here's Philadelphia by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 101. Rent: $1,734/month. Income: $60,698/year. Home price: $229,411. Population: 1,550,542. The strongest category is Healthcare at 100; the most expensive is Housing at 101. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $1,932 per year vs. the national median. For anyone relocating from a high-cost market, this will feel like a raise.
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: Philadelphia, PA — cost index 101, rent $1,734/mo, income $60,698
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 | PhiladelphiaPA | 101 | $1,734 | Details |
| 2 | AustinTX | 89 | $1,531 | Details |
1,550,542 residents · Pennsylvania
Here's Philadelphia by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 101. Rent: $1,734/month. Income: $60,698/year. Home price: $229,411. Population: 1,550,542. The strongest category is Healthcare at 100; the most expensive is Housing at 101. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $1,932 per year vs. the national median. For freelancers and gig workers with variable income, this cushion is everything.
979,882 residents · Texas
What does daily life actually cost in Austin? Start with the 20% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Housing (index 89) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 98) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $91,461 and homes at $500,627 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.
Philadelphia (ranked #1) has a cost index of 101 and rent of $1,734/mo, while Austin (ranked #2) has a cost index of 89 and rent of $1,531/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 Philadelphia is $1,734/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $161 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Philadelphia is $229,411, which is 3.8× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. 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.