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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. And as a general rule, 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Phoenix at index 91, where median rent of $1,556/month saves renters $4,068/year versus the national median (not adjusted f…
Dollar for dollar, these cities represent some of the best deals in America. And as a general rule, 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Phoenix at index 91, where median rent of $1,556/month saves renters $4,068/year versus the national median (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
Phoenix comes in at #1. Rent is $1,556 a month. Household income is $77,041. The cost of living index is 91. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is.
Real talk: 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. Phoenix (index 91, rent $1,556); Las Vegas (index 99, rent $1,695). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
For all that, there's a counter-signal worth noting: Nationally, the 288 cities in our database average a cost index of 111 — though some people might weigh that differently — , rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. The cities in this ranking significantly outperform those benchmarks. For freelancers and gig workers with variable income, this cushion is everything.
Bottom line: Phoenix, AZ leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. 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: Phoenix, AZ — cost index 91, rent $1,556/mo, income $77,041
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 | PhoenixAZ | 91 | $1,556 | Details |
| 2 | Las VegasNV | 99 | $1,695 | Details |
1,650,070 residents · Arizona
Why Phoenix ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. And roughly speaking, at 91 on the cost index, residents save roughly 20% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,556/month — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — while the median household pulls in $77,041/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 91, though Healthcare (98) lags behind. Home prices average $407,665 — $59,705 below the national median.
660,929 residents · Nevada
What does daily life actually cost in Las Vegas? Start with the 29% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 99) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 100) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $70,723 and homes at $422,842 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.
Phoenix (ranked #1) has a cost index of 91 and rent of $1,556/mo, while Las Vegas (ranked #2) has a cost index of 99 and rent of $1,695/mo — a 8-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 Phoenix is $1,556/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $339 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Phoenix is $407,665, which is 5.3× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. 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.