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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Let's be honest: these cities aren't cheap. But within that premium market, there are cities where your dollar stretches meaningfully further. San Francisco proves it with a cost index of 224, and we've ranked all 2 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expensive landscape.
Let's be honest: these cities aren't cheap. But within that premium market, there are cities where your dollar stretches meaningfully further. San Francisco proves it with a cost index of 224, and we've ranked all 2 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expensive landscape.
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 Francisco (index 224, rent $3,830); Colorado Springs (index 97, rent $1,667). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons. No gimmicks — just good numbers.
Why San Francisco ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 224 on the cost index, residents spend roughly 113% more than the typical American. Rent sits at $3,830/month while the median household pulls in $141,446/year. The Healthcare category is particularly strong at 125, though Housing (224) lags behind. Home prices average $1,299,230 — $831,860 above the national median.
If you only look at rent, it's perfect. Zoom out and it's complicated. In San Francisco, the housing index sits at 224 — above average and worth factoring in.
San Francisco rent up 13% over the past year. That's more or less in line with the region. Rent in #1-ranked San Francisco has increased from $3,395 — though some people might weigh that differently — to $3,830/mo over the past 12 months — a 13% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time. The practical impact: more room for childcare, savings, or just breathing room.
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: San Francisco, CA — cost index 224, rent $3,830/mo, income $141,446
San Francisco rent up 13% over the past year
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 FranciscoCA | 224 | $3,830 | Details |
| 2 | Colorado SpringsCO | 97 | $1,667 | Details |
808,988 residents · California
Why San Francisco ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 224 on the cost index, residents spend roughly 113% more than the typical American. That alone makes it worth considering. Rent sits at $3,830/month while the median household pulls in $141,446/year. The Healthcare category is particularly strong at 125, though Housing (224) lags behind. Home prices average $1,299,230 — $831,860 above the national median (your mileage may vary — literally).
488,664 residents · Colorado
In plain English: Here's Colorado Springs by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 97. Rent: $1,667/month. Income: $83,198/year. Home price: $446,132. Population: 488,664. The strongest category is Housing at 97; the most expensive is Healthcare at 99. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $2,736 per year vs. the national median. If you've ever felt priced out, the numbers here offer a different path.
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 Francisco (ranked #1) has a cost index of 224 and rent of $3,830/mo, while Colorado Springs (ranked #2) has a cost index of 97 and rent of $1,667/mo — a 127-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 Francisco is $3,830/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $1,935 above the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in San Francisco is $1,299,230, which is 9.2× 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.