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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Here's the thing: these cities are a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. And from what we can tell, that alone makes it worth considering. San Antonio leads at an index of 93 — and that's before you even look at taxes — with rent at …
Here's the thing: these cities are a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. And from what we can tell, that alone makes it worth considering. San Antonio leads at an index of 93 — and that's before you even look at taxes — with rent at just $1,361/month — 28% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026. The definition of value.
In plain English: 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. San Antonio (index 93, rent $1,361); Columbus (index 94, rent $1,415). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons (that's pre-tax, of course).
So, San Antonio. Cost index of 93, rent at $1,361/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $62,917, which is below the national median. That alone makes it worth considering.
Look, What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. 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 (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes). A real contender.
#1 Ranked: San Antonio, TX — cost index 93, rent $1,361/mo, income $62,917
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 | San AntonioTX | 93 | $1,361 | Details |
| 2 | ColumbusOH | 94 | $1,415 | Details |
1,495,295 residents · Texas
Real talk: at $1,361/month for rent and a cost index of 93, San Antonio is pretty much what you'd expect from a larger city in this part of the country. And in practical terms, that alone makes it worth considering. Income is $62,917. That's more or less in line with the region.
913,175 residents · Ohio
Real talk: the numbers for Columbus are straightforward: 94 on the cost index, $1,415/month rent, $65,327 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. Nothing too surprising there. Below the radar, but not for long.
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.
San Antonio (ranked #1) has a cost index of 93 and rent of $1,361/mo, while Columbus (ranked #2) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,415/mo — a 1-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 San Antonio is $1,361/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $534 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in San Antonio is $247,132, which is 3.9× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. 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.