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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
A 61-point spread tells the whole story in New York: Yonkers at index 154 vs. Syracuse at 93. The difference translates to roughly $1,042/month in rent alone ($2,643 vs. $1,601). Which side of that divide you land on shapes your entire budget. Full 5-city ranking below.
A 61-point spread tells the whole story in New York: Yonkers at index 154 vs. Syracuse at 93. The difference translates to roughly $1,042/month in rent alone ($2,643 vs. $1,601). Which side of that divide you land on shapes your entire budget. Full 5-city ranking below.
After analyzing hundreds of cities, one thing stands out: Yonkers is a clear outlier at index 154. #1-ranked Yonkers has a cost index 28 points higher than the top-5 average of 126. That's not a marginal lead — it's a category of its own.
The #1 spot goes to Yonkers, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $2,643/month — costing renters $8,976 more per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Healthcare is the standout at index 111, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 154. The 39% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
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. Yonkers (index 154, rent $2,643); New York (index 216, rent $3,706); Buffalo (index 81, rent $1,381). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
The math checks out.
Now, stack that against what people actually earn here: The 5 cities we track in New York paint a premium but nuanced picture. And as a general rule, average cost index: 126. Median rent: $2,153/month. Household income: $60,410. New York is known for the country's widest cost gap between NYC and upstate — and the data backs that reputation with some caveats.
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. No gimmicks — just good numbers.
#1 Ranked: Yonkers — cost index 154, rent $2,643/mo, income $81,816
Yonkers is a clear outlier at index 154
3 of 5 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
207,657 residents · New York
Yonkers earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 154 cost index sits 43 points above the national baseline, and the $81,816 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $673,384 — $206,014 above the national median, reflecting the local market dynamics. On the cost side, Healthcare leads the way at 111, while Housing trails at 154.
8,258,035 residents · New York
Here's New York by the numbers — and there's a lot to like. Cost index: 216. Rent: $3,706/month. Income: $79,713/year. Home price: $812,534. Population: 8,258,035. The strongest category is Healthcare at 123; the most expensive is Housing at 216. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are costing renters $21,732 more per year vs. the national median. On a fixed income, this is the metric that matters most.
274,678 residents · New York
The #3 spot goes to Buffalo, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,381/month — saving renters $6,168 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 81, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 96. The 34% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
122,413 residents · New York
What does daily life actually cost in Rochester? Start with the 37% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. On the category level, Housing (index 84) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 97) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $46,628 and homes at $228,693 round out a profile that ranks #4 for clear reasons (though the trend is moving in the right direction).
145,560 residents · New York
What does daily life actually cost in Syracuse? Start with the 42% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. And more often than not, on the category level, Housing (index 93) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 99) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $45,845 and homes at $204,630 round out a profile that ranks #5 for clear reasons (a figure that keeps climbing, by the way).
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Yonkers | 10.9% | 8.53% | 1.33% | $53,587 |
2New York | 10.9% | 8.53% | 1.33% | $53,587 |
3Buffalo | 10.9% | 8.53% | 1.33% | $53,587 |
4Rochester | 10.9% | 8.53% | 1.33% | $53,587 |
5Syracuse | 10.9% | 8.53% | 1.33% | $53,587 |
Yonkers ranks #1 in New York for this analysis with a cost index of 154 and median income of $81,816.
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.
Yonkers (ranked #1) has a cost index of 154 and rent of $2,643/mo, while Syracuse (ranked #5) has a cost index of 93 and rent of $1,601/mo — a 61-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 Yonkers is $2,643/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $748 above the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Yonkers is $673,384, which is 8.2× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
New York has a 10.9% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.53%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.33%.
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.