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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Here's the thing: Premium market, smart picks: while the market trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. Phoenix at index 104 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving a desirable market.
Here's the thing: Premium market, smart picks: while the market trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. Phoenix at index 104 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving a desirable market.
Dive into Phoenix's numbers: cost index 104 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — (8 points below national average), rent $1,556/month, income $77,041, and a home price of $407,665. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 95, while Housing runs 109. As a major city with 1,650,070 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
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 104, rent $1,556/mo, income $77,041
2 of 2 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PhoenixAZ | 104 | $1,556 | Details |
| 2 | PortlandOR | 111 | $1,710 | Details |
1,650,070 residents · Arizona
So, Phoenix. Cost index of 104, rent at $1,556/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $77,041, which is below the national median. You get the picture (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
630,498 residents · Oregon
Here's Portland by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 111. Rent: $1,710/month. Income: $88,792/year. Home price: $524,251. Population: 630,498. The strongest category is Utilities at 102; the most expensive is Housing at 128. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $2,220 per year vs. the national median. For freelancers and gig workers with variable income, this cushion is everything. A real contender.
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 104 and rent of $1,556/mo, while Portland (ranked #2) has a cost index of 111 and rent of $1,710/mo — a 7-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.