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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Put it this way: 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 — not a number you see very often, by the way — . Leading the pack: Philadelphia at index 101, where median rent of $1,734/month saves renters $1,93…
Put it this way: 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 — not a number you see very often, by the way — . Leading the pack: Philadelphia at index 101, where median rent of $1,734/month saves renters $1,932/year versus the national median.
Why Philadelphia ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 101 on the cost index, residents save roughly 10% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,734/month — for better or worse — while the median household pulls in $60,698/year. The Healthcare category is particularly strong at 100, though Housing (101) lags behind. Home prices average $229,411 — $237,959 below the national median.
Quick aside: when housing takes less of your income, the secondary effects are real — less financial stress, more discretionary spending, better local businesses.
Against the national baseline, though: For context: the typical American city has a cost index of 111 — for better or worse — , pays $1,895/month in rent, and earns $80,367 per household. The top-ranked cities here tell a dramatically different story — one that's worth exploring city by city.
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: 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 | JacksonvilleFL | 92 | $1,576 | Details |
1,550,542 residents · Pennsylvania
A closer look at Philadelphia: the cost index of 101 breaks down to a Healthcare index of 100 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 101 (weakest). Median rent is $1,734/month — 8% below the national median — while household income sits at $60,698, meaning locals spend about 34% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median.
985,843 residents · Florida
So, Jacksonville. And depending on your situation, take it or leave it — the data is what it is. Cost index of 92 — for better or worse — , rent at $1,576/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $66,981, which is below the national median. You get the picture.
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 Jacksonville (ranked #2) has a cost index of 92 and rent of $1,576/mo — a 9-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.