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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Contrast this with: 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. This is quietly one of the better values out there.
Contrast this with: 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. This is quietly one of the better values out there.
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. And broadly, philadelphia stands out at 101 on the index, with rent of $1,734/month and household income of $60,698. That's more or less in line with the region. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
Philadelphia comes in at #1. Rent is $1,734 a month. Household income is $60,698. The cost of living index is 101. Nothing too surprising there.
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. That tracks. Philadelphia (index 101, rent $1,734); Louisville (index 79, rent $1,352). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons. Worth a deeper look.
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 | LouisvilleKY | 79 | $1,352 | Details |
1,550,542 residents · Pennsylvania
Dive into Philadelphia's numbers: cost index 101 (10 points below national average), rent $1,734/month, income $60,698, and a home price of $229,411. Fairly typical for a city this size. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Healthcare is the cheapest category at 100, while Housing runs 101. As a major city with 1,550,542 residents, amenities and job markets are robust. Not even close to the national average.
622,981 residents · Kentucky
Look, Louisville earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 79 cost index sits 32 points below the national baseline, and the $64,731 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $259,139 — $208,231 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 79, while Healthcare trails at 96.
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 Louisville (ranked #2) has a cost index of 79 and rent of $1,352/mo — a 22-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.