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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. San Antonio stands out at 93 on the index, with rent of $1,361/month — we had to double-check this one — and household income of $62,917. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. San Antonio stands out at 93 on the index, with rent of $1,361/month — we had to double-check this one — and household income of $62,917. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
Dive into San Antonio's numbers: cost index 93 (19 points below national average), rent $1,361/month, income $62,917, and a home price of $247,132. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 83, while Healthcare runs 96. As a major city with 1,495,295 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
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); Kansas (index 94, rent $1,418). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
No gimmicks — just good numbers.
Factor in the cost side, though, and the picture shifts. The national baseline: 112 cost index, $1,895/month rent, $80,367 household income. That's the yardstick. The cities ranked here blow past it — starting with San Antonio at just 93 on the index.
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. That's about what we'd expect given the state context. 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: 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 | KansasMO | 94 | $1,418 | Details |
1,495,295 residents · Texas
Frankly, What does daily life actually cost in San Antonio? Start with the 26% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 83) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 96) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $62,917 and homes at $247,132 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
510,704 residents · Missouri
The #2 spot goes to Kansas, and the breakdown explains why. And in practical terms, renters here pay $1,418/month — saving renters $5,724 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 85, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 97. A 25% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone. 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 Kansas (ranked #2) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,418/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.