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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.
Dive into Philadelphia's numbers: cost index 101 — we had to double-check this one — (10 points below national average), rent $1,734/month, income $60,698, and a home price of $229,411. It's fine. Not great, not bad. 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 adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
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); Portland (index 100, rent $1,710). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Flip the lens, and you get a different read: For context: the typical American city has a cost index of 111, 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.
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 | PortlandOR | 100 | $1,710 | Details |
1,550,542 residents · Pennsylvania
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 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 (a figure that keeps climbing, by the way).
630,498 residents · Oregon
What does daily life actually cost in Portland? Start with the 23% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Healthcare (index 100) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 100) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $88,792 and homes at $524,251 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 Portland (ranked #2) has a cost index of 100 and rent of $1,710/mo — a 1-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.