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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Premium market, smart picks: while the market trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. San Diego at index 169 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving a desirable market.
Premium market, smart picks: while the market trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. San Diego at index 169 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving a desirable market.
The numbers for San Diego are straightforward: 169 on the cost index, $2,893/month — we had to double-check this one — rent, $104,321 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. That's about what we'd expect given the state context (that's pre-tax, of course).
Put differently: For context: the typical American city has a cost index of 111, pays $1,895/month in rent, and earns $80,367 per household. The top-ranked cities here tell a more nuanced story — one that's worth exploring city by city.
Real talk: 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.
#1 Ranked: San Diego, CA — cost index 169, rent $2,893/mo, income $104,321
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 | San DiegoCA | 169 | $2,893 | Details |
| 2 | PortlandOR | 100 | $1,710 | Details |
1,388,320 residents · California
Why San Diego ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 169 on the cost index, residents spend roughly 58% more than the typical American. Rent sits at $2,893/month while the median household pulls in $104,321/year. The Healthcare category is particularly strong at 114, though Housing (169) lags behind. Home prices average $989,768 — $522,398 above the national median.
630,498 residents · Oregon
Why Portland ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 100 on the cost index, residents save roughly 11% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,710/month while the median household pulls in $88,792/year. The Healthcare category is particularly strong at 100, though Healthcare (100) lags behind. Home prices average $524,251 — $56,881 above the national 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.
San Diego (ranked #1) has a cost index of 169 and rent of $2,893/mo, while Portland (ranked #2) has a cost index of 100 and rent of $1,710/mo — a 69-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 Diego is $2,893/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $998 above the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in San Diego is $989,768, which is 9.5× 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.