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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
High income and low costs rarely coexist — but Raleigh pulls it off. At $82,424 median household income and a 92 cost index, residents enjoy purchasing power that 24% exceeds the national average. We found this pattern across 2 cities using 2026 data.
High income and low costs rarely coexist — but Raleigh pulls it off. At $82,424 median household income and a 92 cost index, residents enjoy purchasing power that 24% exceeds the national average. We found this pattern across 2 cities using 2026 data.
The #1 spot goes to Raleigh, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,567/month — saving renters $3,936 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 92, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 98. At a 23% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
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. Raleigh (index 92 — make of that what you will — , rent $1,567); Miami (index 173, rent $2,964). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. And for the typical household, 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: Raleigh, NC — cost index 92, rent $1,567/mo, income $82,424
Raleigh: high income, low cost — a rare combo
1 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
482,295 residents · North Carolina
What does daily life actually cost in Raleigh? Start with the 23% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Housing (index 92) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 98) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $82,424 and homes at $428,831 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
455,924 residents · Florida
A closer look at Miami: the cost index of 173 breaks down to a Healthcare index of 115 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 173 (weakest). Median rent is $2,964/month — 56% above the national median — while household income sits at $59,390, meaning locals spend about 60% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median.
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.
Raleigh (ranked #1) has a cost index of 92 and rent of $1,567/mo, while Miami (ranked #2) has a cost index of 173 and rent of $2,964/mo — a 81-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 Raleigh is $1,567/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $328 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Raleigh is $428,831, which is 5.2× 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.