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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Look, Nobody expects rock-bottom prices here — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. That alone makes it worth considering. Sacramento (index 117, rent $2,006/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 2 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
Look, Nobody expects rock-bottom prices here — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. That alone makes it worth considering. Sacramento (index 117, rent $2,006/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 2 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
A closer look at Sacramento: the cost index of 117 breaks down to a Healthcare index of 103 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 117 (weakest). And broadly, median rent is $2,006/month — 6% above the national median — while household income sits at $83,753, meaning locals spend about 29% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room. Not flashy. Just effective.
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours.
#1 Ranked: Sacramento, CA — cost index 117, rent $2,006/mo, income $83,753
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
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SacramentoCA | 117 | $2,006 | Details |
| 2 | AtlantaGA | 110 | $1,888 | Details |
526,384 residents · California
Sacramento earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 117 cost index sits 6 points above the national baseline, and the $83,753 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $472,863 — $5,493 above the national median, reflecting the metro premium. On the cost side, Healthcare leads the way at 103, while Housing trails at 117.
510,823 residents · Georgia
Look, Atlanta comes in at #2. Rent is $1,888 — for better or worse — a month. Household income is $81,938. The cost of living index is 110. It's fine. Not great, not bad. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling). Worth a deeper look.
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.
Sacramento (ranked #1) has a cost index of 117 and rent of $2,006/mo, while Atlanta (ranked #2) has a cost index of 110 and rent of $1,888/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 Sacramento is $2,006/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $111 above the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Sacramento is $472,863, which is 5.6× 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.