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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Portland: high income, low cost — a rare combo. Portland earns above the national median ($88,792 vs $80,367) while keeping costs below average (index 111 vs 112). That combination is exceptionally rare — only 36 of 288 cities share it. This is worth factoring into any relocation decision.
Portland: high income, low cost — a rare combo. Portland earns above the national median ($88,792 vs $80,367) while keeping costs below average (index 111 vs 112). That combination is exceptionally rare — only 36 of 288 cities share it. This is worth factoring into any relocation decision.
High income and low costs rarely coexist — but Portland pulls it off. At $88,792 median household income and a 111 cost index, residents enjoy purchasing power that 11% exceeds the national average. We found this pattern across 2 cities using 2026 data.
A closer look at Portland: the cost index of 111 breaks down to a Utilities index of 102 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 128 (weakest). Median rent is $1,710/month — 10% below the national median — while household income sits at $88,792, meaning locals spend about 23% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
Bottom line: Portland, OR 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 (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
#1 Ranked: Portland, OR — cost index 111, rent $1,710/mo, income $88,792
Portland: high income, low cost — a rare combo
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 | PortlandOR | 111 | $1,710 | Details |
| 2 | AlbuquerqueNM | 99 | $1,457 | Details |
630,498 residents · Oregon
The #1 spot goes to Portland, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,710/month — for better or worse — — saving renters $2,220 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 102, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 128. At a 23% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
560,274 residents · New Mexico
Here's Albuquerque by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 99. Rent: $1,457/month. Income: $65,604/year. Home price: $338,329. Population: 560,274. The strongest category is Utilities at 91; the most expensive is Healthcare at 102. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $5,256 per year vs. the national median. This alone could tip the scales.
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.
Portland (ranked #1) has a cost index of 111 and rent of $1,710/mo, while Albuquerque (ranked #2) has a cost index of 99 and rent of $1,457/mo — a 12-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 Portland is $1,710/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $185 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Portland is $524,251, which is 5.9× 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.