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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The obvious answer isn't always the right one. Exhibit A: San Francisco rent up 13% over the past year. Rent in #1-ranked San Francisco has increased from $3,395 to $3,830/mo over the past 12 months — a 13% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time. For anyone relocating from a high…
The obvious answer isn't always the right one. Exhibit A: San Francisco rent up 13% over the past year. Rent in #1-ranked San Francisco has increased from $3,395 to $3,830/mo over the past 12 months — a 13% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time. For anyone relocating from a high-cost market, this will feel like a raise.
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 181 — we had to double-check this one — , and we've ranked all 2 contenders to help you find the best deal in an expensive landscape.
Here's San Francisco by the numbers — and there's a lot to like. Cost index: 181. Rent: $3,830/month — worth pausing on — . Income: $141,446/year. Home price: $1,299,230. Population: 808,988. The strongest category is Utilities at 166; the most expensive is Housing at 302. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are costing renters $23,220 more per year vs. the national median. That's the kind of affordability that turns 'maybe someday' into 'next month.'
The same data, viewed through a different lens: The national baseline: 112 cost index, $1,895/month — we had to double-check this one — rent, $80,367 household income. And in most cases, that's the yardstick. The cities ranked here complicate that picture in ways that matter for anyone actually planning a move. Solidly above average.
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 Francisco, CA — cost index 181, 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 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San FranciscoCA | 181 | $3,830 | Details |
| 2 | Oklahoma CityOK | 89 | $1,255 | Details |
808,988 residents · California
The #1 spot goes to San Francisco, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $3,830/month — costing renters $23,220 more per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 166, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 302. The 32% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
702,767 residents · Oklahoma
Dive into Oklahoma City's numbers: cost index 89 — for better or worse — (23 points below national average), rent $1,255/month, income $66,702, and a home price of $203,329. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 73, while Healthcare runs 92. As a major city with 702,767 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
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 181 and rent of $3,830/mo, while Oklahoma City (ranked #2) has a cost index of 89 and rent of $1,255/mo — a 92-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.