Loading
Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
In plain English: the numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Philadelphia stands out at 101 on the index, with rent of $1,734/month and household income of $60,698. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
In plain English: the numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Philadelphia stands out at 101 on the index, with rent of $1,734/month and household income of $60,698. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
Here's Philadelphia by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). And depending on your situation, 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. Year over year, that savings rate is portfolio-grade.
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. And from what we can tell, philadelphia (index 101, rent $1,734); Milwaukee (index 82, rent $1,398). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons (that's pre-tax, of course).
The counter-argument is worth hearing: 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. Over thirty years of homeownership, the property tax savings alone are staggering.
Bottom line: Philadelphia, PA leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. And roughly speaking, click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these 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 | MilwaukeeWI | 82 | $1,398 | 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 — we had to double-check this one — . 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. That's a difference you notice every single month (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
561,385 residents · Wisconsin
The #2 spot goes to Milwaukee, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,398/month — saving renters $5,964 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 82, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 96. The 32% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
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 Milwaukee (ranked #2) has a cost index of 82 and rent of $1,398/mo — a 19-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.